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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25436371">The Lion Fell In Love With The Lamb</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/youknowmyname/pseuds/youknowmyname'>youknowmyname</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Pacific (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Angst with a Happy Ending, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Bad Flirting, Beauty and the Beast Elements, Blood and Violence, Deer! Eugene, Domestic Fluff, Eventual Smut, Fade to Black, Fluff and Angst, Heavy Angst, Hunter! Snafu, Hunters &amp; Hunting, Leckie Is An Asshole sorry, Loss of Virginity, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Protective Snafu Shelton, Sleepy Cuddles, Slow Burn, Snafu Shelton needs a hug, Soft Eugene Sledge, Temporarily Unrequited Love</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 07:07:22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>83,224</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25436371</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/youknowmyname/pseuds/youknowmyname</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“And so the lion fell in love with the lamb…" he murmured. I looked away, hiding my eyes as I thrilled to the word. "What a stupid lamb," I sighed. "What a sick, masochistic lion.”<br/>-Stephanie Meyer</p><p>Snafu is a broken war veteran living in a cabin in The Grand Tetons. He spends his days hunting with his loneliness depressing him. He doesn't see a purpose to live in life, until he stumbles across a dying deer boy named Eugene. He was injured by a fellow hunter and cannot walk. In a sudden act of kindness, Snafu gives Eugene a safe haven. Eugene, innocent and beautiful, gives Snafu a reason to live. Snafu is madly in love with Eugene, but Eugene is scared of Snafu and yearns go back to his family and friends. But little does Eugene know, fellow hunters in Jackson are bloodthirsty for his head. Snafu refuses to let him leave until his leg heals. That means Eugene will have to spend the winter with Snafu. Will Eugene fall for Snafu before the hunters can get to him? Only time can tell.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Merriell "Snafu" Shelton/Eugene Sledge</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>71</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>29</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter One</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>!!PLEASE READ BEFORE READING!!</p><p>Hey Guys! I've decided, after a long school year, to try and write another series fic. I haven't written a series such a long time. I don't really have a main plan for this and I'm just going to go with the flow. I'm going to try updating a lot before I go back to school, which is in September. When I go back to school It's probably going to be once a month updates, but due to the pandemic things can change. ;^)</p><p>I just want to clarify a few things before we start.<br/>1.) The year the story is set is 1951, six years after WW2. Leckie is 32, Snafu/Merriell is 30, and Eugene is 19.<br/>2.) Eugene never served in the army. Merriell knew Leckie, and that's it.<br/>3.) Merriell also suffers from PTSD and I don't have it so I'm relying mainly on google for my resources.<br/>4.) This story is going to mature and will contain graphic descriptions of violence, rape, etc. It's gonna be heavy at times so I'll put warnings beforehand.<br/>5.) This was not twilight inspired, I just like the saying since it fits the story. This has elements of Beauty and the beast and other fairytales in it. I'm a sucker for fairytales hehe<br/>6.) Also anything underlined is unknown terms in the end notes<br/>7.) Eugene is a between a Cervitaur which is a half human, half elk/deer. </p><p>I really hope you guys enjoy. I know this is asking for a lot, but if you could a comment or some constructive criticism, it would really make my day. I always strive to improve on my work! Thank you.</p><p>Sorry for the long intro, and hope you enjoy! My tumblr is neverendingstories00 if you have any questions/etc ;-]</p><p>-Carrie</p>
    </blockquote><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Merriell is out an a hunt like any other day, until he encounters a special creature.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>“Aim for where your shooting, not what your shooting.”</b>
</p><p> </p><p>The bullet made a gushing noise as it pierced through the deer’s <span class="u">broadside</span>, stumbling over and falling into the leaves as a pained moan escaped its mouth. Merriel made sure to stay hidden behind the shrubs,  not making any noise. Deer season was coming to an end soon and</p><p>he wanted to make sure he got the best out of it. Deacon, Merriell’s German Shorthaired Pointer, lunged over to the deer and began barking at his master. Whenever the deer’s head spazzed, Deacon jumped back, barking more at it in order to scare it.</p><p> </p><p>Merriell emerged from the bushes and took off his woolrich, shaking the ebony curls on his head. He slowly walked over, making sure not to startle the deer. The deer inhaled his scent and tried to move away but failed to. The breathes eventually became shallow and the deer’s chest slowly stopped moving altogether. It’s large black eyes widened as the sun shined down on it. </p><p> </p><p>Turning his head the other way, It made Merriel recoil to see the creature in her last moments, but over the years Merriel had developed a tougher skin. He respected hunting and made sure to use the meat for him and Deacon, and the skin for the town. Deer skin was considered a delicacy in Jackson and used for clothing, blankets, and even gloves. The antlers were also very valuable. It also was his only source of income and helped him skim by. He had killed before in the war, men he had killed, but deer were innocent and did nothing wrong. With their dopey eyes and pure features, it was painful to have to disrupt their peace. But then again, from the wise words of Snafu’s hunting mentor,</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>“You gotta do whatcha gotta do to survive in this world.”</b>
</p><p> </p><p>After removing the internal organs and taking off any unnecessary weight, the curly haired man hauled the deer over his shoulder. It was heavy and not the easiest thing to do, but he learned how to manage. It was even harder when the ground had snow up to his knees. He dumped it into the back of his red truck, also placing his rifle and knives. Deacon was given a treat for his good work. He began to lick Merriel’s nose in response which earned him a </p><p>smile, “Atta’ boy. Dat’s ma boy.”</p><p> </p><p> On the drive back to the cabin, Deacon sat in his lap the whole time. </p><p> </p><p>╞═════𖠁𐂃𖠁═════╡</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>The sun had already set by the time Snafu had skinned the deer. After finishing his work, he took an hour long shower to remove all of the dirt and blood from his body. The hot water was a blessing on his skin as it washed away the goosebumps and germs. The smell was quite rank, and he didn’t want to stink up his little cabin. It was nestled deep in the Grand Teton woods which wasn’t far from Yellowstone National Park. His closet neighbor was five miles away, which he didn’t mind one bit. After the war ended, Merriel packed everything he had in New Orleans and moved to Wyoming. He couldn’t bare to live with himself after the war and was sick of people. Just like any other man, the war had forever scared Merriel. He was known in the town of Jackson to be a loner. No one cared to bother him and just let him live his life. Gossip stirred in the small town about his life, wondering if he ever had someone care about him. Merriel claimed that he didn’t need anyone to feed off of and could survive fine on his own. He didn’t need another person to feel satisfied. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> He was lying straight through his teeth; he wasn’t satisfied.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Merriel didn’t lie since it would be nice to have some company. Deacon was the only thing he cared about besides himself. One of his only friends, Leckie, had given Deacon as a gift after killing the black bear near their land two years ago. Deacon was the world to him, cheering him up on days where he felt that the world was against him or licking his face after his fits from his nightmares. But Deacon was a dog, not a human. There was only so much a dog could do to a lonely and broken man.</p><p> </p><p>Whenever those sleepless nights would hit him, Merriel would get lost in his fantasy of love. He always imagined someone who would deal with him and live the rest of his days with him. Taking long drives down flat roads, helping cook dinner, holding him close to his body for warmth. He wanted love, not lust. He tried to push these thoughts of love away, but they always came back to haunt him. Whenever he cooked dinner, went into town, even in the shower; that tiny voice telling him to find love was following him around. </p><p> </p><p>Deacon had already beat him to the bed. Scrubbing the towel against his wild curls, Merriel climbed into bed, wrapping himself in thick blankets. The cabin would become freezing at night. In the winter, it was unbearable at times. Deacon had found a comfortable spot in Merriel’s stomach. Closing his eyes, Merriell fell into a deep and cold sleep. </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>╞═════𖠁𐂃𖠁═════╡</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <em> Fluttering his milky orbs open, Merriell felt warm. The sky was a light blue, scattered with odd shaped clouds. He felt the long grass tickle his ankles as he pushed himself up. He had been having thesee similar dreams lately in which he would be teleported to a fairytale-esque world where the sun always shined and the birds sang. The heat was bearable with a nice breeze to cool him down.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> His ears noticeed a at rustle behind him. Turning around, Merriel noticed a brown rabbit with a cotton tail. It stood on it’s side, completely still. It was usually one of the first things Merriel noticed in his dreams.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “You again.” He quirked an eyebrow, a smirk on his face. “You stalkin’ me or sumthin’?” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> The cotton tailed rabbit sped back into the bushes. Merriel, acting like a child, began to run after it. He felt the breeze in his hair as he jumped over the twigs and rocks. This dream was something he looked forward to all day. Not because of the warm weather and not having to worry about being an adult, but not being alone. Having someone by his side. It gave him a reason to live. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Pushing a large rock away, Merriel was greeted with a grand, blue lake. The sun shined down on the clean cut water. The trees were tall and blew in the background. It was so calming with nothing to be seen in sight. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Except for him.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> The red head kept appearing in all of his dreams. He, like the world around him, looked like he was straight out of a fairytale. His skin was pale porcelain with dopey, hazel eyes. This boy reminded Merriel of a deer and fox mixed together; pure, fascinating, and beautiful. The boy’s auburn hair, cropped into a crew cut, was his most defining creature. It looked quite good on him, not to mention looked so silky and shiny. He had little, white snowdrops decorate his hair. All Merriel wanted to do was run his fingers through his hair and hold him tight. But whenever he got close, he always ran away. Merriel would admit that he always liked a challenge. But he didn't like to give up so easily.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Merriel rested against a tree, trying to keep himself hidden. The red head took off his white blouse and pants, along with his shoes and undergarments. His skin was affected by the heat causing a pinkish tone to form around his body. The white tailed rabbit made a small noise behind him. A small smile was plastered onto his face as he held out his hands, letting the rabbit jump in and gave it a small kiss on his nose. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> God, this boy was going to be the death of Merriel. He felt his cheeks burn up as he watched the boy. He couldn’t contain himself any longer. In order to grab his attention, a whistle escaped his lips causing the red head to look over. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> The redhead had the look of a deer in headlights. His cheeks turned a soft pink, instantly recognizing the curly haired man. Merriel was leaning against a tree, scaling his vulnerable body. The redhead had covered his privates by crossing his legs.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Well, well, well,” Merriel still had that devilish smirk on his face. “If it isn’t lil’ red ridin’ hood, on ‘er way to grandma’s. You ain’t out runnin’ the big bad wulf ‘dis time.” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> The red head, mentally cursing, turned over and started speed walking towards the lake. He turned back and saw Merriel curse under his breath, throwing his shirt over his chest. Feisty, he liked it! He wasn’t gonna go easy on him this time. He would never force himself on him. but he yearned to learn more about the boy who didn’t want to be around him. There was something about him, his mysterious aroma or red hair, that attracted Merriel; like a child with a new toy.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Running into the water, the redhead had dived in and was nowhere to be seen. Merriel dunked his head in and tried to search for him but to no avail. Swimming out to the center of the lake, Merriell stopped, calling out for him. He could hear a small splashing noise that was coming from behind him. It was getting louder and louder as it approached him. Before he could react, he felt cold water splash the nape of his neck. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> The red head was behind him, a childish smile that was begging for him to play with him.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Merriel snorted, amused at his little game. “So yah wanna play now, huh?” Merirel splashed him back this time more aggressive. “Two can play that game.” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Merriel and the red head swam around in the cool water, splashing each other. Merriel felt like he was a child, happy, once again. He didn’t have to worry or care about others in this fantasy of his. Merriel had noticed that the red head’s smile was infectious, making his cheeks burn. He was so irresistible.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Both of them swam to shore, crawling onto the bright green grass, laughing. There was a silence between them for a few minutes, before Merriel turned over to his side to admire him. God, he was gorgeous. His auburn hair was still drying, floofing all over the place. His body was shiny from the water that was still drying on his skin. The red head’s hazel eyes turned from the sky to Merriel’s multi chromatic orbs. His eyebrow quirked up in response, signifying that he noticed Merriel’s admiration.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “So you finally ain’t playin’ hard to get, hrm?” Merriel said, still focusing on him. He could barley take his off of him. He yearned for someone he hadn’t ever met. “Why are yah always runnin’ away from me?” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> The red head had a subtle smile on his face, shrugging his shoulders. He never spoke a word, but used body language to communicate.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Merriel wasn’t satisfied with the answer. He scooted closer to him, inhaling the scent of lavender. “Feisty, I like it.” The curly hair man chuckled, causing the red head to roll his eyes.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> The red head’s hand, in a surprising act, caressing the scars that decorated his forearm. They ranged from small cuts to large bullet wounds. Although they looked like they had healed permanently, some hadn’t. There wasn’t one day in Merriel’s life where he hadn’t thought about the war, and everything he had done. Everyone he had killed.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> The red head’s eyebrows furrowed as his hand moved to his chest, his fingers tracing against a long scar on his chest to his stomach. Merriel saw the intrigue on the red head’s face. His skin was so smooth and beautiful compared to his hideous, dry skin.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “This thang?” Merriel looked at the scar, keeping his eyes on it. “Got this in Pelelui. Fell in a fox hole in the heat of a battle and slash!” He tried to sound dramatic and even humorous to cope with the pain. The red head jumped back a little. It was like telling a scary bedtime story to a young child. “There was a buncha sharp thangs in that lil’ shithole. Scraped myself against a nail or sharp rock, but it ain’t too bad. My skin’s not nice n’ clear like yours, it’s ugly.” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Merriel wasn’t really ever bothered with his appearance. He had been told all of his life that his eyes were too big, hair too unruly, skin looked dirty. Nobody ever cared to compliment, causing him to grow a self deprecating mindset. He knew he was unattractive since it’s what he has been told all his life. Appearances were a little thing to Merriel. It’s not like someone cared about him...right? </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> The red head’s fingers still traced his body, looking up as he shook his head. Merriel had noticed this, his cheeks beginning to burn. Was he..saying that his scars weren’t ugly? </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Wait…” Merriel murmured. He didn’t even notice that both of his hands wrapped around the red head’s one at his chest. “You don’t think they're ugly?” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> The red head shook his head in response. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Merriel looked to the side for a second, before responding, “Do you..like ‘em?” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> A small smile curved on his face as he nodded. He liked them since they were unique and made him stand out. But he didn’t know how to communicate besides using his hands and face.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Can I...hold you?” Merriel spat randomly, still holding Eugene’s hand. He wasn’t very good at flirting. He had sex before, but it was for lust not love. He wanted an emotional bond with someone, not their body.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> The red head and him laid in the grass, their arms wrapping around each other. Merriel wished that it was this easy in real life. The red head was usually mysterious and often ran from him, but not in this dream. Merriel felt the boy’s hands explore his body, tracing more scars and even playing with his curls. It felt so good, wanting to make Merriel doze off. He felt his warmth against his body, gently stroking his red hair which was truly as soft as silk. The redhead nuzzled into Merriel’s shoulder, making a small cooing noise.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Please, don’t go.” Merriel closed his eyes as he said this into his hair, holding him tightly. He could smell the scent of his hair, vanilla and lavander, calming him down. He felt the red head squeeze back as someone responded. “I can’t be alone. I can’t handle it no more. Please.. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>The scent had disappeared, and everything felt cold once again. Snafu frantically opened his eyes, no longer seeing the gorgeous red hair and soft skin. All he saw was utter, pure darkness. He was now all alone again. Everything had been going well, until it ended. All good things had to come to an end. Except, nothing good ever happened in his life. His arms had been in the same position they were last time, cuddling the one who complimented his scars. And with his, Merriel felt his face getting warm. Not from blushing, but the lukewarm tears that ran from his eyes. A sob escaped from his quivering lip, letting his emotions all loose. </p><p> </p><p>His loneliness was slowly killing him. </p><p> </p><p>╞═════𖠁𐂃𖠁═════╡</p><p> </p><p>Jackson was the closest town to Merriel’s cabin. It was an hour drive, but Merriel enjoyed the long drives with the wind blowing through his hair as he sped, which was usually illegal. But it was Wyoming, the least populated state.<em> Who was even watching? </em> It was quite big for a little town, made mostly up of mom and pop shops. Nothing there was very commercial since nobody came except during the winter for skiing or summers in Yellowstone. </p><p> </p><p>The Jackson hole valley was home to a diverse range of wildlife, especially deer. They were hunted all year round. Hunting was respected by all who lived in Wyoming.<span class="u"> They saw it more as a means to survive then recreation</span> <span class="u">.</span> Hunting for recreation was considered a felony and could get you jailed up to seven years. Hunters used the bodies of deer as meat or decoration with their fur or antlers. Hunters usually wanted a piece of their “trophy'', using the antlers (or whole head) mounted on there walls and a pretty scarf or blanket for their family. Hunting was big in the south as well, but they took it quite seriously in Wyoming. They would place big bets on bucks and mooses and have them killed up to thousand dollars.</p><p> </p><p>Merriel was skilled with a rifle, so hunting went from a hobby to a profession. All he really knew was that he was good with a gun. It was around the afternoon when Merriel arrived in Jackson. Halloween was just a week ago and now Jackson was preparing for Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving was a popular time for Hunters. Merriel would notice hordes of them from his porch, chasing after a fawn or turkey. Merriel didn’t have to worry about anybody but himself and Deacon, after all, Deacon would eat anything he could get his dirty paws on. </p><p> </p><p>After dropping the meat off at the deli, Merriel was given his check and headed off to the Outfitters. That’s where he dropped off the hide and horns of the deer to be sold and created into whatever it was going to be. Then, he would go to the bank and get his money from the checks he earned. In total, about $500 dollars. It was a boring life, but helped Merriel get by. </p><p> </p><p>He decided to stop at the store to grab some basics. Just as he walked out, he could hear a familiar voice call out this name. <br/><br/></p><p>“Merriel! Hey bud!”</p><p> </p><p>He could recognize that voice from far away. It was none other than Robert Leckie, better known as Leckie. Merriel would consider him a friend, not to close, but frequently hunted with him and his friends. Leckie was two years older than him and was tall and handsome. He looked like he was the type that thrived in highschool (in a complimentary way-ish) with a charming smile and all american made appearance. Leckie was usually kind (mainly sympathetic) towards Merriel, always offering for him to have dinners with his family and even gave him Deacon. </p><p> </p><p>“ ‘ey Leckie.” Merriel responded, placing the bag in the front seat. He turned over to make eye contact. Leckie had a bag in his hands; it was a plaid scarf. Vera, his wife, had a birthday coming up and he wanted to surprise her. </p><p> </p><p>“Long time no see, Mer. Swear to god, you keep disappearing.” The older man remarked.</p><p> </p><p>Merriel shrugged his shoulders. “Well, dat’s tha reason I moved ‘ere.” <em> To disappear.  </em></p><p> </p><p>Leckie chuckled, before grabbing something out of his pocket. Leckie tried to connect to Merriel, but he couldn't. He was smart enough to know that Merriel wanted to be left alone. He tried introducing him to some of his friends, but they didn’t click well. </p><p> </p><p>Merriel quirked one of his thick eyebrows as Leckie handed him a paper. Leckie was one of the best hunters in the Grand Teton region and ran<em> The Sleeping Indian </em>, a hunting club. Merriel was a member of it and attended the holiday parties, but was only in it for the money. It was selfish, but it was the reason Merriel could afford all of his hunting gear, Deacon, and the cabin. </p><p> </p><p>The paper contained a black and whitte sketch of a boy who looked all too familiar with...antlers growing out of his head. Mentally cursing, the curly haired man blinked twice in response as he tried to comprehend what he was seeing. The man (or creature) had the head and lower body of a human, but had antlers and skin decorated in brown and white dots. Heck, he even had hooves. Merriel was in utter shock, not believing that this actually existed. The bidding for the creature’s capture was 10 <em> fucking </em> thousand dollers. </p><p> </p><p>“He’s one of the biggest bids I’ve seen.” Leckie explained, pointing to his horns. He always loved a good kill. “People have claimed to see him on the edge of yellowstone and not too far from where you live. He’s got the body of a human, but parts of a deer. Have yah seen those antlers, that shit is beautiful!”</p><p> </p><p>Leckie was right, the half man half deer’s horns were absolutely stunning. The boy looked quite young, but his horns were grown out and regal. It added a hint of intimidation on his babyface. Merriel felt like he knew that face from somewhere, but he couldn’t put his fingers on it. </p><p> </p><p>“A half human half deer creature?” Merriel looked up at him with a dry expression, unamused. Leckie had a grand smile on his face still. “Yah really think this shit exists? I haven’t noticed that thang in my area.”</p><p> </p><p>Leckie patted his shoulder, a chuckle escaping from his lips. Merriel wanted proof to believe this bullshit. “Come on, brother. Tourists claim that they saw him. It’ll bring alotta money to <em> The Sleeping Indian </em>. His pretty lil head, mounted on the wall.” </p><p> </p><p>Merriel had cringed at Leckie’s claims of making sure he would hunt that thing down and make one hell of a trophy out of it. Leckie didn’t have any cruel intentions, but sounded full of himself. He knew he was a good hunter, so why not tell the whole world. He blocked it out, but was still intrigued by the idea of this deer boy. He wouldn’t leave his mind. </p><p> </p><p>“And what do yah think of that, Merriel?”</p><p> </p><p>Merriel had fully blocked him out, thinking about where that deer boy could be from. Just as he thought he figured it out, he felt a rough hand shake his shoulder. Merriel jumped a little to the side, seeing Leckie wave a hand in his face. </p><p> </p><p>“Earth to Merriel Shelton. Yah blanked out there for a second.” The great hunter responded. He didn’t mean any farm. Why did he fade out so quickly? Merriel was known to do that. Merriel was a fine guy to Leckie, but he considered him the occasional weirdo. “Do you think his head would look over me and Vera’s bed? I know she’ll hate it.”</p><p> </p><p>The curly haired man desperately wanted to leave. He shrugged his hand off, stepping near the driver’s seat of his truck. “Uh yeah.” He mumbled, trying to seem normal. “Listen, gotta go. Deaky’s probably chewin’ up one of ma hides.”</p><p> </p><p>“Merriel.” Leckie hooked at him, a serious expression on his face.</p><p> </p><p>Holding back a sigh, Merriel simply responded with “Yah?”</p><p> </p><p>“That deer boy is <em> mine </em> . Don’t get any funny ideas.” Leckie said, a hiss in his voice. The way he said mine was very domintiant. He was serious. Leckie hated when other people took and played with his toys. Merriel, in some ways, was a better hunter then he was. As immature as it was, the jealousy drove Leckie mad. There was only room for one great hunter in Jackson and that was <em> him </em>. </p><p> </p><p>The serious expression wared off as a smile appeared on his face, waving as he slowly started to walk away. “Anyways, see you around Mer! Tell Deaky I say hi.”</p><p> </p><p>Merriel watched the hunter walk away and back to his car, an expensive make. <em> What an odd encounter </em>. Jumping into his car, Merriel noticed that he still had the sheet of paper. He sat there for a good minute of two, looking at it. There was no possible way this could be real. Hunting was supposed to be known as a respectful sport, not child’s play. Who would be hunting “a deer boy” for ten fucking thousnad dollars anyways?</p><p> </p><p>╞═════𖠁𐂃𖠁═════╡</p><p> </p><p>A week had passed by since the incident. Merriell had been utterly <em> fascinated </em>with this so-called “deer boy”. Over the years he had collected hunting books from his mentor and Leckie. Most of the books contained information on different types of animals that lived in Wyoming. No matter how much he read, nothing satisfied his answers. It frustrated him even more. Especially with the facts that the fairytale dreams he once enjoyed with the beautiful redhead stopped happening. They were replaced with horrible dreams with war and blood, triggering Merriel’s PTSD. </p><p> </p><p>To escape his fits, Merriel pulled all nighters. The deer boy wouldn’t leave his mind as it haunted his thoughts every waking second. There was something about him that was so intriguing. Only if the sketch had been colored then maybe he would know. Merriel was going insane at this point and he knew it. He ended up falling asleep on the couch, Deacon resting on his stomach. </p><p> </p><p>The curly haired man was rudely awakened, hearing obnoxious laughter and gunshots being fired. Guns usually didn’t scare him considering that he was so used to using one, but random shots in the middle of nowhere would throw him off guard. Deacon felt any emotion that his master would feel. His ears perked up as he jumped down and ran to the door, barking like there was no tomorrow. Merriel was heavily panting as he grabbed a gun, throwing the back door open and loading his gun. He didn’t have a shirt on and could feel the cool, wyoming weather against his bare chest. </p><p> </p><p>“Who’s dere!” Merriel yelled with annoyance, holding his gun close to his chest. He couldn’t think straight due to Deacon’s barking. He heard a few more loud shots and laughter from a distance. He could recognize Leckie’s laughter as well.<em> The Sleeping Indian </em> was probably doing a hunt all together for the whole day, and of course it had to be near Merriel’s territory. Their laughter had disappeared into the wilderness, which caused Merriel to sigh in relief. Deacon was still agitated and whimpering, pacing his paws into the wooden floor.</p><p> </p><p>Merriel looked over at the pointer and patted his head in reassurance. “Yah fine, Deaky. Just the boys huntin’. Let's getcha sum’ breakfast. How does sum leftover’ duck sound?”</p><p> </p><p>Deaky’s ears pointed up as his agitation turned intriguement, then happiness. He jumped up and now, excited for his meal. Merriel smiled in response as him and Deacon headed into the cabin to eat breakfast. </p><p> </p><p>╞═════𖠁𐂃𖠁═════╡</p><p> </p><p>After <em> The Sleeping Indian’s </em> hunting party died down, Merriel decided to go out for his daily hunt. It would distract him from his thoughts. The only noise he could hear from miles away was the wind and chirps of the birds. He decided to go smaller vermin such as squirrels and raccoons. Everything seemed quite peaceful until he heard a gunshot that rattled the curly haired man and his dog. But instead of laughter, there was yelling this time. </p><p> </p><p>Awfully bitter yelling. </p><p> </p><p>Curiosity caused Merriel to follow the noise. He was one hell of a good hunter and could track noises very quickly. He followed the noises and scent of gunpowder. It seemed like it was no longer fun and games but an actual competition. Hiding behind a large tree, Merriel saw all of the men run in one direction. He could barely make out some of the words except “<em> He’s loose boys” </em> or <em> “Hit him the leg or neck! He’s too fast!”  </em></p><p> </p><p>Merriel’s mind began to race as he thought about the deer boy, wondering if that was what they were going. He wasn’t someone who was quick to believe in the supernatural. Leckie looked like he was only following the rumors he heard, and wanted to do nothing but hunt it. It was quite a weird thought process, considering that if this creature existed, he would be half human. Animals and humans were similar, but hanging a human head with antlers on your wall rubbed Merriel the wrong away.</p><p> </p><p>Even if he had <em> killed </em> before. </p><p> </p><p>Before he could turn and follow them silently, Deacon whipped his head behind him at a rustle. It was far away, but he could smell a living creature. A body filled with a red liquid; blood. His head bent to the ground, inhaling the scent that was on the leaves. He walked away from Merriell and tried to use his detective senses. The pointer, out of nowhere, began to growl and bark. Something in the scent drove him absolutely mad. </p><p> </p><p>The curly haired man jumped in place. He could barely even react to the men turning their heads as he saw Deacon speeding in the other direction. He couldn’t let Deacon be on his own since the pointer always got into trouble when he was lost. Cursing under his breath, Merriel began to sprint after him. He was no longer silent as his feet crushed the leaves under his feet along with the noises of confused voices and Deacon’s barking. Deacon took sharp lefts and rights, following wherever his scent had led him. Merriel was somewhat out of shape and panting under the layers of clothes. </p><p> </p><p>He had lost Deacon for a good five minutes before hearing the pointer’s low growls. His growls got lower, which was a sign that he found a creature and was trying to intimidate him. Merriel was as silent as a mouse, prepping his rifle on his shoulder. His finger fiddled with the trigger, prepared to handle any situation. He had to act quickly. Pushing through the bushes, Merriel nearly dropped his rifle to the group in utter shock.  </p><p> </p><p>Leaned against a tree was the body of a boy. He was naked, holding his knee. Blood was oozing from the arrow implanted from his kneecap. He whimpered, tears forming at his hazel eyes from the pain. The boy had a head of auburn hair, porcelain skin, and antlers that protruded from his head. His body was decorated in brown and white spots just like a deer. </p><p>They were quite grand and sharp; one of the sides tainted with blood. The white roses, rare in Wyoming, that were to the left of him were splattered with drops of blood. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> This was the boy from red headed boy from Merriel’s dreams.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Merriel was in awe as he just stood there silent and still. He couldn’t take his eyes off of the deer boy. He was so innocent, but sad. Was he dreaming?  There was no way he couldn’t be. The sky wasn’t like a watercolor painting and he could feel the heat and sweat on his body. The red headed boy had noticed Deacon, and then Merriel. His hazel orbs met his milky orbs as his eyes widened with fear, noticing the rifle in his head. He tried to back up even further, but winced in pain. </p><p> </p><p>Deacon tried to go up and attack the injured redhead, but Merriel clutched his gun, feeling angered at this. There was this urge in him to keep him alive. </p><p> </p><p>“DEACON, STAY BACK!” He hissed with full force in his voice. Deacon looked back and whimpered at his master, going behind him. This didn’t help the situation as it scared the deer boy even more. </p><p> </p><p>Merriel noticed this immediately as he looked at the deer boy with apologetic eyes. Not even thinking twice, he lowered his rifle and felt his finger move away. Taking gentle steps, Merriel walked towards the auburn, trying not to scare him. </p><p> </p><p>“I’m not gunna hurt ‘ya” The curly haired man cooed. He still was afraid of the hunter. Merriel put this rifle down slowly and raised his hands, showing that he was a pacifist. The deer boy sniffled, wiping the tears away from his face. Merriel looked at the injury. It was an arrow implanted in his skinny kneecap. It was deep into his knee and looked quite painful. Not to mention the blood surrounding and gushing out of his kneecap. </p><p> </p><p>“Your knee, your hurt..” Merriel noticed. </p><p> </p><p>The deer boy was confused, looking at the human man. He had never encountered a hunter that hadn’t shot him. But nonetheless, he was still afraid. This man had a weapon that killed most of his friends and family. </p><p> </p><p>Merriel, not knowing what to do, decided to try to go over and pull it out of his knee. He didn’t know how else he could help. If he had a full night of sleep, he normally would’ve killed him within seconds. But this kill was different. The deer boy wasn’t a myth, he was real. He was also the innocent, beautiful boy that loved him from his dreams. Merriel didn’t want to hurt him. He felt a strong urge to...<em> protect </em> him.</p><p> </p><p>Merriel heard a gunshot. It flew right past his face and hit the tree. He fell to the ground, trying to hide himself. Leckie and his men weren’t far. Leckie wasn’t one to give up so easily and was <em> hellbent </em> on killing this deer boy. The deer boy could barely do anything except wait for death to come his way. </p><p> </p><p>Anger fueled his body. There was no way he was going to let this deer boy die. Leckie may have claimed him as mine, but Merriel wasn’t going to let him hurt him. Noticing a rock near him, the curly haired man grabbed it and threw it to the far left. A gunshot was fired that way, hearing the men yell and scruffle to the deer boy. </p><p> </p><p>As they fled away, Merriel crawled forward, wanting to help the deer boy. There was utter fear on his eyes, scrambling up the tree. He attempted to move to the side as he heavily panted, not wanting to die. His kneecap was throbbing in pain causing tears to form in his eyes. The hunter screamed and followed after him, begging for him to let him help. He even grabbed his lanky shoulder, trying to pull him back. </p><p> </p><p>The auburn whimpered, pushing Merriel off. Merriel fell back but got back up.</p><p> </p><p>“No! NO!” The red head limped off, trying to lose the hunter. He was frantic; knowing that he was going to die. He was the weakest in his pack. These were the first words that escaped his mouth. His voice was shaky, but soft. In the midst of this discord, the deer boy tripped over a thick root, hitting his head on a rock that happened to be on the ground. He fought to stay away, but eventually succumbed. </p><p> </p><p>Deacon found the deer boy first. He laid on the ground, knocked out black. Merriel pushed his way through the leaves, noticing the deer boy on the ground. He rushed over as Deacon whimpered at him, feeling whatever Merriel felt. Merriel gently grabbed his shoulder and turned him over. The touch of his skin was so soft and oddly calming. His eyes were closed and his mouth tenderly opened. The curly haired man pushed his auburn hair out of his face. It was a stunning color of red, bringing out his features well. Merriel played with it, keeping it between his fingers. Thankfully it was a bruise forming at the top of his head and not bleeding. Merriel didn't want to leave him here to die. He heard him talk once, and he meant not farm. The poor thing was unhealthy, skinny and barely had any meat on his bones. Along with the injury, the deer boy had small cuts and bruises that decorated his body. </p><p> </p><p>Merriel knew it was far fetched, but he couldn’t live with himself if he left him out to die. He never thought of anyone but himself, but he was <em> different </em>. There was something special about him. </p><p> </p><p>Merriel took off his large coat and wrapped it around the deer boy, he was probalry freezing. Gently cupping his head and legs, Merriel slowly picked him up bridal style. He looked in his face, admiring his childish beauty. He was <em> fascinated </em> with him. Deacon looked confused at the current situation, but followed after him.</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t worry. You're gonna be ok.” The curly haired man cooed, looking down at the deer boy. Using his thumb, he wiped a strand of his red hair from his face. “You're safe with me. No one’s gonna evera hurt yah as long as yer with me.”</p><p>
  <br/>
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  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter Two</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Eugene wakes up in a strange place. Merriel and Eugene have a rocky start to there relationship. Meanwhile, trouble is brewing at The Sleeping Indian's lodge.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>!!! PLEASE READ !!!</p><p>WARNINGS: Heavy angst and implied gore descriptions ahead. </p><p>I know, I know... 5k words in six hours. I feel really attached to this story, I cannot stop writing for it. I wanted to give y'all a good amount of content since I'm taking part in Sledgefu Week starting Monday/getting my wisdom tooth surgery so things are gonna be hellish. I'm gonna try getting CH.3 out by next week if I can, but can't promise anything. The support ya'll have shown really makes makes me so happy so thank you sm! Things are a little slow at first but I PROMISE they will speed up. The italics is inner thought. Also a little bit of Eugene and Merriel Pov's. And yes, even Deacon's POV. </p><p>If y'all have any concerns (or just wanna talk about soft deer boy gene or the story then OMG PLEASE) then my Tumblr is neverendingstories00. Enjoy Ch.2! </p><p>Comments are something that I really love, so if you could leave one I'd be head over heels. ;)</p><p>-Carrie</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <span>Eugene’s legs felt weak as he surged through the woods. It was dark and complex as the trees looked like they were splitting in his vision. The men’s bullets barely missed him as he tried to lose them but to no avail. His legs were begging for him to give up, but he couldn’t die. Death was </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>inevitable</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>. Nonetheless, Eugene feared it. He had lost some of his closest family and friends to the men with those cursed weapons. As he ran for his own life, his life began to flash through his eyes. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>The men with the weapons from hell, according to his father, were the reason why so many people in the nearby packs were dying. He grew up being sheltered by his mother who had him at a late age. His brother, Edward, had grown into a fearsome deer with a regal neck and antlers. His charm was his most defining characteristic.The does swooned after him and begged for his hand in marriage. Unlike Edward, Eugene lacked all of those qualities. He was the polar opposite; introverted, lanky, and pale. Growing up he was always teased for being not like his brother. Everybody around him knew this and Eugene was well aware.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>When he was going into manhood, his father became concerned that he didn’t grow as tall or hit puberty like all of the other men. While the other boys looked like men, Eugene barely passed for a teenager. The witch doctor in their village told his parents that he had a heart murmur. It stunted his growth and they would have to keep a close eye on him since if he over pushes himself in the slightest, he would die. In his father’s eyes, Eugene was a disappointment. Of course his father cared for him, but he would never be the strong and charming Edward. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>On the other hand, Eugene’s mother kept him by his side at all times. He had a nickname for her, mother goose. There was no denying that he was a mama’s boy. As much as he wouldn’t admit it, besides Sid his mother was his best friend. He confided everything to Mother Goose as she would hold him close and stroke his hair. Whenever the older boys (or Edward) would tease him, they would get an earful from Mother Goose. As much as she loved him, Mother Goose had sheltered him. Instead of rolling in the dirt, Eugene spent his days making flower crowns or rock sculptures with Sid. Sid was his best (and only) friend. They had known eachother since they were fawns and were inseparable. Mother goose always loved Sid but warned Eugene that he was a troublemaker. Eugene always said that Sid knew how to play nice. The truth is, he did not. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>He doesn’t remember the situation very well. Whenever he thinks, his head throbs in pain; like it was being banged by a rock. A man, with brown curly hair and piercing blue eyes had cupped his cheeks aggressively, calling him “quite pretty” and “femininie looking”. His voice was gruff as his friends surrounded him, encouraging the behavior. His father was right; humans were truly the evil of his earth. He didn’t know how he escaped his grasp, but he did. This angered him and caused a game of cat and mouse. The red head used all of his might to escape. He wanted to go back to his family and wake up from this nightmare.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>But it was not a nightmare. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>The arrow pierced through his kneecap, causing Eugene to screech in pain. The forest was shaded by the leaves. He lost his footing and fell down a steep hill, feeling the pebbles and twiggs scratch his whole body. He laid there for a few minutes. He was scared, hurt, confused, and alone. He could hear the villainous laughter from those evil men, teasing him. Just as their footsteps faded, the red head crawled in order to escape. His vision blurred from the tears and blood loss. Every waking second was like walking on shattered glass. Eugene crawled under some shrubs and found a tree, being shined upon by the spotlight. He was going to die, and at least the sun was going to shine down on him.The arrow had gone clean through his knee. The sharp end protruded in the back. Even just moving it in the slightest made Eugene whimper. So this was it? He really was going to die. He imagined it quite differently, but after all, he was the weakest in his pack. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Eugene could’ve sworn it was a wolf. He heard faint barking noises until they had gotten close. The animal was medium sized and slim but muscular; a light grey color with brown and black dots all over its body. It looked clean shaven for a feral and unruly wolf. It’s low growling was intimidating, but slightly adorable. It’s butt stuck right in the air, jumping from side to side as it barked. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Great! Eugene thought, backing up. Not only was he dying from blood loss, but he was about to be ripped to pieces by a wolf. His day couldn’t get any better. If only a guardian angel could come and sweep him off of his feet. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>God, if there was one, had a mysterious way of working. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>The leaves crunched as a figured jump out at him. His ears perked as his hazel orbs connected to his milky ones. His eyes were so stunning. He had bronze skin as unruly curls protruded from under his hat. His body was covered in layers of clothes as he pointed one of those weapons at him. He shook from the chill of his wind. Although he seemed intimidating, this expression said otherwise. Instead of angry, he looked like he was in wonderment. This man looked shocked. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Eugene was expecting to feel a bullet enter through his head or chest. He wanted this man to do it. After all, a slow and painful death wasn’t very ideal. Death wasn’t very ideal at all in fact. That’s where he began to speak. He sounded muffled in Eugene’s hearring, but his voice was raspy and velvety. For a second, Eugene couldn‘t understand due to the thickness of his accent. But he wasn’t rude or mean, but sounded sympathetic? He placed his weapon on the ground with his hands up, reassuring him as he got closer.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Then, the peace was destroyed as a bullet speed and hit the rock behind the man. He fell to the ground, cursing under his breath. The wolf ran around Eugene, barking as a warning.  This part was blurry. All he remembers is running away (again) and hitting his head. That was where everything went black.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>╞═════𖠁𐂃𖠁═════╡</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Instead of jolting up, Eugene let his eyes do all the work. They fluttered open, noticing a wooden ceiling instead of the green one he was used to. The Certivuars were quite civilized for colonies; using caves for homes, using manners, having an education, the list goes on. Instead of feeling cold, he felt a little too warm and sweaty. Not wanting to overheat, he took the two thick blankets off of him. There was a mirror to his left.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Holy cow, I look awful. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Eugene noticed that the antlers were chipped on top and one of them was shorter than the other. A throbbing pain hit the side of his hair. Moving his red locks out of his face, a red and purple bruise was forming. It was getting darker meaning that it was fresh. Feeling something brush against his skin, the red haired boy noticed that he was wearing..clothes. Clothes were considered a “human delicacy”. Whenever they were bored, Sid and him would go to human camps and rummage through their stuff. While Sid took any junk food, Eugene admired the books and photos he saw. Humans were so fascinating. He knew he was a half human, but what's it like to not have antlers? What did humans eat besides berries? Eugene had thousands of questions but they were never answered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The clothes he wore were thick. A little</span>
  <em>
    <span> too thick</span>
  </em>
  <span>. They were a hunter green and black plaid. The top and bottom were both long and thick. Eugene felt like he was on fire a few minutes ago, but this place was freezing. The thick clothing actually kept Eugene warm. Looking down at his feet, he wiggled his toes. The pants were too short and went up to his upper ankle. He was definitely confused. Why was he in this place? He could recall being chased and nearly killed, but this definitely wasn’t a familiar place. Was he did, and this was heavan? As he attempted to get out of the bed, his left knee stung with pain. Eugene let out a whimper, stumbling off of the bed and onto the ground. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He felt his eyes burning up, ready to burst into tears. Where was his mother goose? The boy wanted nothing but his mother’s touch. Her gentle touch against his skin, ah how he yearned for it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fuck!” A voice came from downstairs, sounding distressed. Eugene’s hazels orbs widened.  He wasn’t alone. He could’ve sworn he heard two pairs of footsteps. One of them human, the other one unidentifiable. The door creaked open and he felt a large, slimy object slide over its face. It wasn’t hurting Eugene, but licking the tears that streamed down his face. It was the small wolf from last time. But instead of barking and growling like a beast, it acted so friendly like nothing had happened. Eugene looked up at  the other person in the room, goosebumps traveling over his body. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was the man with the milky eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>This time, he wasn’t dressed in all of the layers he had been wearing before. His hair was exposed; it was pushed out of his face but a few baby curls were in this face. He had the same shocked expression. But this time, it was mixed with worry and fear. The curly haired man had a tray in his hands and placed it down. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fuck fuck fuck. I should’ve stayed with yah. No idea yah were gonna get up. I’m so so sorry…I’m sucha fucking dumbass” Merriel kept apologizing over and over. He came over at a pick pace; </span>
  <em>
    <span>just like last time. </span>
  </em>
  <span>He was slightly freaked out and thought he was </span>
  <em>
    <span>charging him! </span>
  </em>
  <span>Eugen’s body tightened as he shut his eyes, bracing for the worst. Instead, it was the complete opposite. The milky eyed man had a gentle touch as he scooped him with a feather and placed him back on the bed. Deacon didn’t like that the attention wasn’t on him and sat next to Eugene, looking at his antlers in an intrigued manner.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell looked genuinely stressed, running a hand through his untamed curls. He looked at Eugene, who looked both confused and scared. Exhaling a sigh, he didn’t even know how to explain it. The past 24 hours had been quite eventful and odd. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Listen, I know this is all weird. ‘Dun even know if yah can understand me.” Merriel explained, sitting uncomfortably close to Eugene. It calmed his nerves looking at him.</span>
  <em>
    <span> He knew he was creepy and was trying to hide it as much as possible. Him and his dream man were alone at last. His hair was just the right silkliness and shade of red, ivory clear skin, and youngish look. The auburn haired man was the definition of perfection.  </span>
  </em>
  <span>“I’m not going to hurt yah at all. I was out and yah were injured. It was pretty nasty, with an arrow through yer kneecap n’ a bruise forming  on your head. Not to mention, a few cuts around yer body. I couldn’t leave you to blood, so I..took you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriel rolled the pants up and revealed his kneecap was securely wrapped. His thumb stroked against it, getting a taste of the soft skin. Eugene felt uncomfortable, but couldn’t do anything. The man’s voice calmed and creeped him out at the same time. “Yer lucky it went straight through. I’m no surgeon, I did the best I could.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But, you can’t go back out there again. For a while, atleast. I can’t letcha. It’s a dangerous world with all da bears, hunters, all that shit. With your knee, you wouldn’t survive a single night alone.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Those words </span>
  <em>
    <span>shattered</span>
  </em>
  <span> Eugene’s heart. Worry filled his whole face, his thoughts racing. He wanted nothing more than to go see his mother and family. He wanted this nightmare to be over. His man, who he had barely known, was keeping him at his home. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A soft whine escaped from his mouth. Eugene was so sensitive in general, especially with his injury. His lips began to tremble in response. Merriel knew that this was going to be hard. He hated seeing the deer boy like this. All he wanted to do is hold him close and comfort him. That’s what he did in his dreams, and they were coming to life. Did fairytales truly happen? Merriel hadn’t ever helped hope in this life before, until now. Placing a gentle hand on his shoulders, Merriel tried to pull him close. His other hand grabbed the other shoulder to pull him in. His goal was to comfort him; just like his dreams. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Instead of accepting the embrace, it triggered Eugene’s fight not flight. </span>
  <em>
    <span>What the hell? Is he going to strangle me? </span>
  </em>
  <span>He whimpered, and just like the previous time and got shaky. He used the little amount of his strength to squirm out of Merriel’s hold, moving to the headboard of the bed. Merriel didn’t even bother to hold him back not wanting to add more gasoline to the fire. Loose strands of auburn hair fell in his face as he panted, wanting nothing to do with Merriel. He was nothing but a scared, little boy. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriel was hurt, his heart shattering. He opened his mouth and tried to say something, but he was scaring Eugene. The poor boy was shaking, whimpering at the sight of him. The curly haired man didn’t even mean to cause all of this. He was letting down his walls and trying to be nice for once in his life. Merriel wasn’t good at expressing his emotions. Due to his childhood, he learned how to be independent and hide them. He claimed his heart was as cold as stone when it truly wasn’t. Merriel was just broken and touch starved. Nothing ever went his way, ever. He felt like whatever he touched </span>
  <em>
    <span>broke</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He pushed himself off of the bed, muttering a quick apology before exiting the room. He didn’t mean to slam the door so aggressively. He could smell Eugene’s fear and heard a sob escape from his mouth, being muffled by the pillows. So many emotions were running from his head; angry, guilt, sadness. He rushed down the stairs and headed to the kitchen, pacing as his hands dug into hair. All he tried to do was </span>
  <em>
    <span>play nice</span>
  </em>
  <span> for once. He was trying to help him, he ever tended his wounds with no knowledge of wounds. Anger was an emotion he was all too familiar with. But he hadn’t felt this much rage in a while. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He couldn’t control himself now. A pained scream escaped from his mouth as his fist collided with the wall. He felt the dry paint and wood pierce into his skin, but he didn’t care. Merriel wasn’t himself, he was </span>
  <em>
    <span>Snafu</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He was bent over as his fist was now stuck in the wall. He felt something on his face. It was lukewarm and watery. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Shit…” He groaned, watching his tears splash onto the ground below him. He was crying. Fucking crying. He doesn’t remember the last time he cried for a good reason. “I’m..cryin’...”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriel tried to conceal it, but he let it all come crashing down. He was balling like a baby. Once he freed his fist from the wall, Merriel fell to the ground and curled into a ball of full sobs. The sobs were loud and pained. All of the suppressed emotions were finally coming out of him. He came to the fact that the boy could never be his lover. It was obvious that he was lost and wanted to leave. He wanted to go back to his normal life and not be kept in a house with a prisoner. The auburn haired boy had made it quite clear that he wanted nothing to do with Merriel. After all, Merriel was the lion and the auburn haired boy was the lamb. A beautiful and mysterious lamb who haunted his dreams. Who became the light in his ever growing darkness. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>The lamb who didn’t love the lion back. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>He didn’t love him, and he never would. It wasn’t an opinion, it was a fact. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>What a sadistic, twisted lion Merriel was. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>╞═════𖠁𐂃𖠁═════╡</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene started to lose count of the days after a week. Boredom was killing him. Being bedridden was not fun, especially in a place where you didn’t want to be. His days were spent reading the books he found under the bed, playing with the wolf named Deacon, and making crowns out of the objects he saw around him. His relationship with the curly haired man was quite awkward. He didn’t even know his name. Eugene tried to do some snooping, but found nothing. All he could do was crawl and his antlers always got in the way of everything. Ever since that night, he made sure to best avoid Eugene. The milky eyed man (unknowingly) brought him rotten berries, tea, antibiotics for his injuries, and anything that he needed to survive. Eugene was temporarily incapable of moving, so the man would carry him downstairs or to the bath to clean the deer boy. Not a word would be spoken between the two. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The man with the milky eyes, what he called him, was a peculiar character. He didn’t look like any of the other men he had seen. His skinner was darker and he had unique features. For once, he didn’t look like a carbon clone of everyone else. He was </span>
  <em>
    <span>different</span>
  </em>
  <span>. His eyes were large, changing from a light blue to a seafoam green. Eugene thought they were a very nice feature. It added a pop of color to his dark features. But the more he looked into his eyes, they seemed quite sad. Under his eyes, they were very dark. He always looked sleep deprived. Eugene felt bad since he was sleeping in Merriel’s bed. He wanted to speak, but was too afraid to. What if Merriel touched him again? The thought made Eugene cringe. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was like any other day. Eugene sat in bed and looked at the clock, which said it was two thirty sharp. He was reading </span>
  <em>
    <span>The Little Mermaid, </span>
  </em>
  <span>shocked that an older man would own that book. The sky was gray, reflecting Eugene’s gloomy mood. There was nothing to look forward to. Although his bruises and scratches were fading, his kneecap was still throbbing with pain. He could walk to the window and bathroom, but that was about it.</span>
  <em>
    <span> The situation was hopeless.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was like any other, boring day. Eugene hadn’t heard any noises from downstairs. Deacon wasn’t there to comfort him. The wolf was a friendly creature and often was at Eugene’s side at all times. The pointer had mistaken his antlers for bones and tried to bite them, which caused The milky eyed man to get involved. He would leave for hours and usually drag back the carcass of dead animals. He was a hunter and had a few animal decorations such as a coonskin hat, moose head, and cow print rug. Even the blanket that Eugene would use if the nights got too cold were made out of sheep’s wool. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The door opened and slammed back shut. He could hear the sighs of him as he took off his boots and hat. Deacon had barged into and sprinted up the stairs, jumping onto the bed to see Eugene. The wolf was the only thing that had been making him happy the past few days. A smile curved onto his face, rubbing the behinds of his ears. Deacon, full of joy, licked his face. His breath smelt of vermin, making Eugene hesitant. Deacon would simply not stop showering the stranger with antlers with slimey kisses. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>In the corner of his eyes, Eugene went still as he noticed </span>
  <em>
    <span>him</span>
  </em>
  <span>. The door was cracked open  and he recognized the milky eyes. He gently slid into the room, a small cough to signal that he was coming in. Eugene made eye contact with him and nodded his head as a way of saying </span>
  <em>
    <span>oh, come in. </span>
  </em>
  <span>His cheeks were a light pink, as he hid something behind his back. Deacon turned to him and barked at him, protecting Eugene. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Deaky, ‘cmon. Don’t be a pain..” Merriel sighed, trying to move closer. The pointer growled even more, popping his butt into the air as he growled. He was in the mood to play and be around Eugene. The main reason Deaky liked the deer boy was because he was </span>
  <em>
    <span>very</span>
  </em>
  <span> nice and smelled quite good. Not to mention he would always sneak  the berries he couldn’t eat to Deacon. He would usually poop (or vomit) the berries after, but he would take anything Eugene gave him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p><span>Merriel jumped back a little, scared by the dog. Eugene let out of a small chuckle, covering  his mouth. The situation was quite amusing. The curly haired man placed his hands on his sides, tching at the dog. “Do you want dinner tonight? I was makin’ yer favorite,</span> <em><span>grillé andouille.”</span></em></p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A whimper of defeat escaped Deacon’s lip as he looked down, moving up to make room for Merriel to sit down. He still sat by Eugene, huffing at his owner. Merriel had a smirk on his face. He knew all of Deacon’s weaknesses.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sitting on the edge of the bed, the curly haired man made sure not to startle the deer boy. He looked a little surprised and moved back a little. Not out of fear, but to make room for him as well. Merriell took note of his, feeling his foot brush against his breath. He bit his lip in response. He loved seeing him smile or laugh, which was quite rare. He assumed he was mute since in his dreams he never talked.</span>
  <em>
    
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>But then again, dreams don’t come true. Do they?</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m not here to hurt you. Imma make dis’ as short as possible.</span>
  <em>
    <span> For the two’s of us</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Merriel explained. He took an object out of the pocket of his flannel.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene couldn’t tell what it was, raising an eyebrow. Out of nowhere, Merriel’s hands took Eugene’s slim ones and placed the item in it. He didn’t pull back or whimper, but accepted it. His touch was tender and he had no bad intentions. The deer boy felt his cheeks burning up.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You can open it, y’know. It’s a </span>
  <em>
    <span>gift.” </span>
  </em>
  <span>The milky eyed man signaled. He didn’t want to make him uncomfortable. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene looked at him, and down at the item. It was wrapped in a green cloth and secured with a brown string. Untying the string, he was full of emotions. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell was not sure of what to feed deer. He had been giving greenbriers and blueberries for the past two weeks. Feeling bad, he could tell that he wasn’t very fond of the food, especially when he threw up the greenbriers. The auburn haired boy was so depressed and Merriell wanted to make it up to him by giving him </span>
  <em>
    <span>something</span>
  </em>
  <span> he could actually enjoy. He did research in his mentor’s old journal about deer and their diet. So he decided, while on his hunting trip to give a range of food to the deer boy for him to try, and see what he likes. He would start with human food later, but forest food would be a start. Winter was in the air. Deer were herbivores and survived off of plants. The wrapped cloth consisted of nuts, corn, blackberries, alfalfa, tree bark, saplings, and mulberries. It was also a sneaky way to get Eugene to speak a few words.</span>
  <em>
    <span> To get to know him better. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t know what to get you. I know you didn’t like ‘da blueberries. I got a buncha stuff for ya to try. Just tell me whatcha like, and I'll get it for ya.” Merriell continued, pointing at all of the fruits. He noticed the smile on his face, admiring all of the goods that were gifted to him. For the first time in a while, Eugene had something to look forward to. He looked up at Merriell, happiness shining from his face. Merriell couldn’t help but admire his face. It sounded cheesy, but he felt like Merriell was getting more beautiful as the days went by. No matter the cuts, bruises, and wounds that covered his body. His smile was infectious. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His hand crawled back to Eugene, resting his hand into his. “I also..just wanted to say I’m sorry from da’ bottom of ma heart. I truly am. You dun know how many nights I’ve gone without sleepin’ because of you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The deer boy titled his head as his attention was fully on Merriel. The man looked hesitant and guilty, staring at his feet. Eugene squeezed his hand back, signaling for him to go on. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell looked at him, fixing his posture and began to explain his feelings. “All I wanted to do was help ‘ya. I know you think imma monster since I hunt animals and kill ‘em. I don’t do it because it’s fun, but it’s a way for me to survive. But I promise ya, bottom of ma heart, that I will</span>
  <b> never, ever hurt you. </b>
  <span>The day I saw ya, laying there bleedin’ n’ cryin’, that shit got to me. Then I realized I couldn’t letcha die. I couldn’t let </span>
  <b>those</b>
  <span> men kill ya. I’ll do whatever it takes to protect you. I’m not holdin’ you against yer will, but winter is a dangerous time. Food isn’t there usually, wolfs n’ bear are out, lottas bad shit. Yer injury es pretty nasty, it’ll take a while to heal. It should be better by April. When it gets better, I'll letcha go back home. But jus’ for now, I need yah to stay. I couldn’t stand to see someone like you die.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene had a sympathetic look on his face. He didn’t like what he was saying, but understood it. Merriell didn’t have bad intentions, but wasn’t the best at expressing his emotions</span>
  <em>
    <span>. All he wanted to do was make sure he was making the right choice.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Just when he thought that was done, Merriell took a breath and continued. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Listen, what I’m tryin’ to say is that I know this ain’t ideal. I betcha got family n’ friends who are worried sick. But I promise you, once you can start walkin’, you can walk right outta here. When you first woke up, I didn’t mean to scare you. You fell outta bed and thought ya hurt yourself. I wasn’t trying to do something bad to you that night, all i was tryin’ to do was comfort ya. I didn’t realize I was hurting you, and I’m sorry. Imma do whatever it takes to make this better for ya. I’ll give ya whatever you need, whenever you need it. You’ve got ma word.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene was shocked at this statement. But at the same time his heart warmed up a little bit. The nerves he felt once before slowly disappeared as his body became less tense. The curly haired man’s hand rested on top of the red head’s as his thumb caressed the skin. There was a peaceful silence between the two. Eugene wasn’t so afraid of him anymore. He definitely found Merriell to be intimidating, but the man was just trying to be kind to him. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Care for him.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thank you…” Eugene said, the smile still on his face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> Those were the first words he had spoken in two weeks. He was still shy, but he was slowly warming up to the hunter. He seemed a little taken aback by this. There had been such a long silence between the two and </span>
  <em>
    <span>Eugene had finally broken it. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>This voice, not hearing much of it, was like a song to Merriell. He was sure he could listen to it for hours on end. It was oddly calming to hear him talk.  There was also a smile on Merriell’s face, a one of hope.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What's your name?” Merriell asked, unable to peel his eyes off of the beautiful deer boy, holding his hand. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The auburn haired boy responded, “Eugene.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Pretty name for a pretty boy.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> He complimented a subtle hint of flirting. He saw Eugene squirm up, the red infecting his pale cheeks. God, this boy was going to be the death of him. “Da’ name’s Merriel.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was going to be one hella of a long winter. </span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>╞═════𖠁𐂃𖠁═════╡</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>JACKSON, WYOMING</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>The Sleeping Indian’s </span>
  </em>
  <span>lodge was utter </span>
  <em>
    <span>chaos</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Hunting was a very dangerous sport. It was uncommon for hunters, old and new, to experience a few beatings. Men had gotten injured thousands of times before, from being attacked by a bear or racoon, but death was usually out of the question, until it </span>
  <em>
    <span>happened</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Bill Leyden was only twenty eight years old. He had a nice family and was living his best life at The Sleeping Indian. After the war ended, he packed all of his things from the east coast and pursued to live his american dream of being a hunter. Everybody looked at him as a little brother, but didn’t expect him to die so soon. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Deer were usually animals who were easily frightened by anything else that was not then. Their response was to run away and hide,</span>
  <em>
    <span> not fight.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Infact, they could even sense fear or danger from miles away. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Turns out, there was more than one of them. The red head boy had a friend who looked around his age. He had blonde curly hair, pale skin, and small blue eyes. Unlike the redhead, the blonde had more of a mouth and cursed them out. Ack Ack was on the verge of killing both of them (mainly to shut up the blonde), but Leckie insisted on keeping the redhead. The reason they were out hunting was to </span>
  <em>
    <span>kill </span>
  </em>
  <span>the deer boy, but Leckie couldn’t do it. He wasn’t afraid of shooting and now he suddenly was. The other deer boy was silent the whole time, except trying to calm down his friend and save them from death. His skin was quite ghostly looking, his body reminding him of a twig. His eyes were dopey and sympathetic, looking at the hunters, begging for them to not kill them. His hair was his most striking feature; a fiery red bringing color to his pale figure. Leckie knew it was twisted to think of it, even if he  had a wife and baby on the way. The thought wandered in his mind as he contemplated what he was going to do with the deer. It wasn’t like you saw two deer boys everyday. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leckie had gone over to the redhead and cupped his face, squeezing it. He took a few good seconds to admire him. He smelt like berries. Unlike the blonde, his features were tiny and somewhat feminie. It was amusing whenever he squirmed, a soft whimper escaping his lips. It brought a smirk to his face. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why are you squirming?</span>
  <em>
    <span> Stay still</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Leckie hissed, his grasp tightening on the red head’s arm. He was so skinny that it left a bruise. He was getting annoyed with him, but wasn’t going to kill him. He decided, as The Sleeping Indinan’s leader, that he was going to bring back and </span>
  <em>
    <span>keep </span>
  </em>
  <span>the redhead there. Leckie had </span>
  <em>
    <span>other plans</span>
  </em>
  <span> for him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Out of nowhere, Leckie felt his whole body behind push back. His back hit the ground first, straight into the mud. These men became alerted, now pointing their rifles at the deer boys. The hunter had just  been humiliated in front of his own men by an animal. The red head used his antlers to push him back as a form  of defense. Antlers were a symbol of sexual attraction and a defense mechanism in male deer. Leckie looked at the boy, pure fury in his eyes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As he gathered his thoughts and stood up, a heavy groan escaped his mouth. “Kill the blonde one, but keep the red head. He’s comin’ back with us.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The plan immediately backfired as the blonde deer charged at Bill, impaling him with his antlers. Bill’s screams and cries for help were painful for all of the men to hear. Leckie felt the fury rummage through his veins and so did his men. All it took was one shot to the neck for the blonde to fall down and slowly bleed out. It was already too late as the red head made a full run for his life. If anybody crosses The Sleeping Indian, they  would have to talk to</span>
  <em>
    <span> the gun</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The past few days had been rough for The Sleeping Indian, especially Leckie. Not only did let one of his men die, but he let the redhead go. The deer boy was so fascinating to him. Vera had noticed his and would constantly ask him about, but he would shrug it off. The truth was that the hunter was furious at himself. He never let his prey get away. But if he wasn’t going to kill the red head, then what was his purpose. </span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <em>
    <span>Leckie was going to find him and make him </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>his</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>. </span>
  </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>1.)<br/>Andouille is a smoked sausage made using pork, originating in France. wikipedia.org</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter Three</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Merriell attends the seventy-third annual Thanksgiving party at The Sleeping Indian, where tensions rise high between the two men. Eugene adapts to life with Merriell and celebrates his first Thanksgiving away from home. Little did Eugene know, that would not be the only thing he celebrates tonight.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>!! READ BEFORE !!</p><p>Alright guys, I'm really spoiling you here. I try to keep to my promises! I'm gonna get into a schedule of frequent updating before I go back, but August might be a little busy, you never know! I have my wisdom teeth surgery tomorrow so I might be inactive for a few days, but I'll be writing for ya'll! This is a pretty long chappie I barley got to 8K, I got REALLY into it. I'm obsessed with these two. I'm not gonna spoil a lot, but I packed a few nice surprises for you guys. Hope you enjoy!!</p><p>If you wanna listen to the song that appears!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDN5rG3wLa4</p><p>WARNING: minor angst/gore descriptions ahead</p><p>If you could please take time to leave a comment, I would really appreciate it, they make my day. Thanks ;)</p><p>-Carrie</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The past few weeks for Merriel were definitely different. He had lived by for six years in the same routine of only taking care of himself. He obviously took care of Deacon such as feeding him attention and food, but Deacon was a dog, Eugene was a person. A person with antlers and a tail. But whatever he was, Eugene was another person to care for. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was taking time, but Eugene slowly began to warm up to Merriell. He began to start speaking full sentences, even asking questions such as </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Why is that machine making sounds and spinning?”</span>
  </em>
  <span> or “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Where is New Orleanes? Is that a pack?”</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Merriell never hesitated to answer his never ending questions. The red headed loved sitting by the record machine and playing Louis Armstrong, watching the record spin. It was adorable to see him organize all of the records by color, knowing that he was a guest. The milky eyed man insisted that he didn’t need to organize, but Eugene insisted that “living organized is easier”. Eugene, an angel in Merriell’s eyes, could be sassy at times. Merriell was smitten with him, he was like an angel sent from heaven. It was no longer just Merriell’s cabin, </span>
  <em>
    <span>it was Eugene’s as well.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As much as it pained him, Merriell had to go into town. Not only to get supplies and sell some of the mooses he killed, but to go to the seventy-third Annual Thanksgiving party at </span>
  <em>
    <span>The Sleeping Indian’s</span>
  </em>
  <span> lodge. It was held every November twenty fifth at six pm, just right after the sun would set. All of the hunters and their families would come. Merriell would’ve brought Deacon since he considered him family, but Leckie always stated that “he’s just a dog”. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Deacon was Merriell’s son. </span>
  </em>
  <span>The curly haired man hated these parties since everybody seemed to know each other quite well. He wasn’t the easiest person to get along with and usually played with little children since they were absolutely adorable. Not to mention they had free alcohol, so it wasn’t absolutely terrible. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Within the first hour, the men were partly drunk. The wives stuck in the corner while they were all spread around the lodge. Merriell had mainly walked around and looked at the taxidermy, occasionally saying his hellos to the curious wives and fellow hunters. He couldn’t stop worrying about the deer boy. Deacon loved Eugene (more than him) and would protect him from anything. Regardless, Merriell still was worried. He had been by his side for the past few weeks. Eugene was making a slow recovery. He could hop around, but struggled to get down the stairs and even get through some of the doors due to his antlers. Eugene was a few inches taller than Merriell, especially with his antlers. They were quite grand. Eugene had adjusted to living in a small space with his antlers and learned how to work around the obstacles. Eugene had asked Merriell if the house had been made for midgets. Merriell laughed it off, thinking it was a joke and nothing more than that. But little did he know, Eugene wasn’t kidding. He was serious. </span>
  <em>
    <span>That cheeky little deer. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was nice to have company around besides Deacon. Someone that </span>
  <em>
    <span>actually</span>
  </em>
  <span> talked. The winter was the hardest time of year for Merriell. Hunting season was usually a hit or miss, not to mention the over commercialized holidays and frigid temperatures. Eugene was a shining light in Merriell’s ever growing darkness. Whenever he smiled or laughed, Merriell’s mood would instantly change for the better. He hadn’t laughed so hard or smiled so much in over a decade. Not to mention, it was a </span>
  <em>
    <span>genuine</span>
  </em>
  <span> feeling and not faked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell’s thought were interrupted by two burly hands grabbing his sharp shoulders. He nearly spit out his scotch before turning around to see </span>
  <em>
    <span>him. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A cocky smile was plastered on Leckie’s breath. His cologne smelt expensive, mixed with the alcohol that lingered on his breath. Merriell could tell that he was intoxicated, but not to the point where he couldn’t understand anything. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Shelton!” Leckie bursteed, seeming way too happy.</span>
  <em>
    <span> Annoyingly happy, infact</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Poor Vera was gonna have a handful tonight. Most of the hunter’s wives were quite sleazy and played around with other men, on the other hand Vera was an exception. Merriell always found her to be a truly nice woman with a good head on her shoulders. She didn’t see Leckie and Vera as a couple, but then again, </span>
  <em>
    <span>opposites attract each other. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Someone’s inna good mood.” Mer commented, taking his hand off of his shoulder. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell assumed it would be awkward between the two ever since the parking lot incident, but it wasn’t. Leckie acted like nothing had ever happened and Merriell was glad he was. The two men casually catched up with each other. Merriell usually didn’t keep up to date with Jackson gossip, but heard about Bill’s death. He didn’t know him well enough to have an opinion on him, but felt pretty bad. It was a human life, after all, even if death was something that was somewhat normalized for him in the war.</span>
  <em>
    <span> The Sleeping Indian</span>
  </em>
  <span> was a small, tight knit community and it was rare for anything </span>
  <em>
    <span>drastic </span>
  </em>
  <span>to happen. Leckie seemed upset by this death, but tried to stay on the more positive side. Merriell found it quite odd, considering that it happened the same day he found Eugene. He tried to ask Leckie about it, but he was simply ignored.</span>
  <em>
    <span> Odd. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leckie was a little</span>
  <em>
    <span> too close</span>
  </em>
  <span> for comfort. He was known to sling his arm or slap his friend’s butts (playfully), but Merriell hated any form of touch. Just as Merriell tried to make an excuse and escape, Leckie interrupted him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Mer, this place is getting a little too rowdy. Getting hard to hear you with all of the other guys and their wives. I’ll get ya sum more scotch in the bar.” Leckie pointed to the back. Merriell held an eye roll back. Being alone in a room with Leckie just screamed trouble. But then again, free alcohol was hard to turn down. Plus, he could probably get away with a smoke or two. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leckie and Merriell escaped the crowds and out of the common area to the private lounge. It was also known as Leckie’s “private” trophy room. Merriell had been in the area a certain amount of times, but never alone. It was a cosy room filled with taxidermy and alcohol. When walking into the room, the only place lit was the bar. The curly haired man offered to make them both </span>
  <span>Sazeracs </span>
  <span>as the head hunter would start a fire and warm up the place. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The milky eyed man focused on making the drinks. As he did this, questions wandered in his head. Leckie was a friend of his, but he wouldn’t consider them the bestest of friends. Wilbur once remarked </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Why the hell is Mer even part of the club? He doesn’t make the effort at all. Guy’s a freak of nature.” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Wilbur wasn’t wrong, Merriell thought of himself as a freak. Since he didn’t want to scare anyone, he simply developed into being a hermit. Nobody would want to deal with him. However, someone like this attracted Leckie. Leckie was intrigued with the mysterious, funny accented southern man. Leckie was the reason why Merriell joined the club. Merriell didn’t hate him, but found him to be the typical asshole at times. But he didn’t want to be liberal with these thoughts considering that Leckie was the reason why some of his bills were getting paid. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Is Leckie mad at me? Did he see me throw the rock?” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Merriell pondered, pouring the cognac into the cup and stirring it around. It didn’t seem possible. Leckie was an extrovert who would always approach anybody he knew. He proceeded to shrug it off, telling himself to stop over analyzing every little detail. He was probably trying to be nice or something along the lines of that. After putting the whiskey and cognac back in the fridge, Merriell exited the bar area to go meet Leckie by the fire. He stopped in his tracks, utterly horrified at the sight upon his ups. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Above the stone fireplace, there was a </span>
  <em>
    <span>fucking </span>
  </em>
  <span>human head mounted above it. The curly haired man felt queasy, nearly dropping the beverages onto the floor. Merriell had taxidermy at his cabin (taking most of them down after Eugene arrived), but this was a whole new level. He was exactly like Eugene, having white dots on his face and antlers on top of his head.</span>
  <em>
    <span> Just like Eugene</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He had golden tamed curls and bright blue eyes that seemed void of any color. His skin had been deprived of it’s pink tone and was dry and pale. The only color it had was from the heat from the ongoing fire below it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Breathtaking...Isn’t he?” Leckie remarked, taking a drink out of Merriell’s hand. He took a sip out of it, enjoying the strongness of it. “I had the same expression when I first saw him, or should I say </span>
  <em>
    <span>them</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Turns out, there’s more of those human looking deer. Both of them were both striking, specially the red head.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriel clenched his fist, feeling his teeth grind at his remark. Leckie had a smirk on his face as he stared at the deer boy, proud of his kill. Whenever there was one deer, there were always two. He seemed to be the person who shot Eugene in the knee. The curly haired man wanted to slap that smirk on his face for hurting someone as innocent as Eugene, but composed his anger. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Where’s the red head?” The curly haired man asked curiously, trying to hide the fact that he already knew the answer. His hand was tightly grasped around the glass, ready to break it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leckie chuckled, sounding quite dry. Merriell could sense the venom in his voice. “The little bitch got away. He’s quite fast, especially when Ack Ack shot him in the knee. We looked all over for him, but he got away. Probably bleed out to death. Me and Ack Ack wanna head back out and try findin’ his body. He’s quite pretty for a buck, especially with those antlers. Ack Ack thinks he’ll be easy to find since his hair is like fire.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Although Merriell seemed perfectly fine on the outside, anger was fuming through his veins. He wanted to shoot an arrow through Ack Ack’s kneecap to feel the exact pain poor Eugene felt. It was going straight on his very long bucketlist of things he wanted to do before he died. He wasn’t doing it for himself, but for Eugene. He could tell that the head hunter was furious at himself for not catching his prey. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Leckie always got what he wanted, and was upset when he didn’t. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That redhead’s quite pretty. He’s a little ghoslty lookin’, but had some of the best antlers I’ve ever seen. I was gonna bring him back to the lodge and keep him as a little pet here, but he was quite feisty. He pushed me back his antlers, leaving a little present for me.” The hunter replied. He unbuttoned his collar up to reveal bloodied stitches going from his armpit to his pelvic bone. It was still healing and looked absolutely painful. Sweet, deer boy Eugene did this? Instead of being repulsed, a subtle smirk crept up on the side of Merriell’s face. Eugene fighting back turned him on. He felt his cock twitch at this. What a shame that he missed it. </span>
  <em>
    <span>That’s his boy. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, shit. Looks like that hurt.” Merriell remarked, putting a hand against the stitches. Leckie buttoned his shirt back up, fixing the collar. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leckie looked at him, venom in his face. “Yah, ask Bill about that.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell looked perplexed, now interested in the conversation. Vera told him that Bill fell down and hit his head on a rock. Leckie looked at him and curled an eyebrow. “Right, the other guys didn’t tell you. Blondie, red head’s buddy, </span>
  <em>
    <span>impaled </span>
  </em>
  <span>Bill with his antlers. It was a horrible sight to see. It caused the red head to get away, but we got the blonde right in his neck.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leckie wasn’t done explaining. He kept going. “Only </span>
  <em>
    <span>The Sleeping Indian</span>
  </em>
  <span> knows about this. Nobody would believe a deer boy killed Bill. </span>
  <em>
    <span>It’s embarrassing</span>
  </em>
  <span>..”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The curly haired man was already disgusted enough, but this was the cherry on top. They lied about Bill’s death because it was “</span>
  <em>
    <span>embarrassing</span>
  </em>
  <span>”? Chills ran through his body at the thought of this. Bucks used their horns to attack predators, but not humans. They were afraid of humans. Leckie kept ranting some more, but Merriell blocked it out. He was determined to kill Eugene, no matter what. Leckie wasn’t someone who gave up so easily. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Eugene had to be protected at all costs.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell felt a hand on his shoulder. Leckie’s thumb gently massaged his nape. “I gotta request for you. You don’t live too far from where he found the deer boys. If you see the red head, shoot him in his other kneecap. </span>
  <b>Paralyze him</b>
  <span>. Whatever you do, don’t kill him. That’s an order. </span>
  <em>
    <span>He’s mine. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Do I make myself clear, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Mer</span>
  </em>
  <span>?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When the curly haired man didn’t respond at first, Leckie grasped at his shoulder firmly. Merriell clutched his teeth, on the verge of wanting to knock all of Leckie’s teeth out. This is why he brought him into a private room, to boss him around? This mind flooded with an image of Eugene’s head being mounted onto the wall. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>Like hell he was gonna ever let that happen. </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was no way he was gonna let Eugene step outside of the house. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yea,” Merriell responded. Leckie wasn’t satisfied with the way Merriell had responded. He seemed very nonchalant about the situation. The curly haired man was holding back his urge to beat the living shit out of his “boss”. Tensions were high between the two. Shrugged Leckie’s hand off his shoulder, he placed his cup down and headed towards the door. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thanks for the time, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Lec</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Merriel responded, a cold tone in his voice. Just like how Leckie called him Mer, he put a spin on Leckie’s name. He had enough of this bullshit. If Leckie said one more thing about hurting Eugene, he would go fully ballistic. “Tell Robert Jr I say hi.” Leckie tried to say something to him, but Merriell simply slammed the door in his face. He was saving himself from causing a scene. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And with that, Merriell proceeded to go through the crowds and exit. Vera noticed him leaving and went up to him. He came up with a good excuse, saying that if he drank more than with the boys he’d probably go crazy. Vera laughed at the response, completely understanding. She even stated that she wanted to leave herself, but knew she had to deal with her “two strapping boys” at home. After a small hug, the curly haired man hopped into his truck and began the long drive home. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He couldn’t stop thinking about everything that Leckie had been saying. It made his blood boil, his chewed nails digging into the steering wheel. The way he talked about Eugene, keeping him as a pet and all of those other remarks were typical for Leckie to make. But at someone who Merriell cared about? Leckie and his men were going to stalk all of Wyoming to find Eugene. Leckie was going to hurt anybody in his way to claim Eugene. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Not on Merriell’s watch. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>---</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell gently opened the front door and slowly closed it, not wanting to disrupt the peace in the cabin. Slipping his boots off, he was greeted at Deacon running at him and sliding onto his stomach. His eyes screamed </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Father, I demand attention!”</span>
  </em>
  <span>. A smile curved on his face, bending down to rub his stomach. Merriell could hear the record still playing in the room over. The pointer tugged at his sleeve, leading him into the living room. The fire still burned and the record still played, but Eugene was nowhere to be seen. His blanket was sprawled all over the couch and the book turned upside down. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Especially with the events of tonight, Merriell was slightly panicking. What If we got out? What if he slipped and hit his head? Eugene could move around, but was unable to get up the stairs. Merriell usually carried Eugene up, which he had no problem doing. Running around the downstairs area, Merriell eventually found him in the cutest position. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene was slumped against the wall by the stairs. He hadn’t fallen or anything harmful. His mouth was slightly opened as small snores escaped from his mouth. If he was injured, Deacon would have been more panicked. Eugene had been persistent about being more independent despite his injury. He knew he couldn’t climb up the stairs by himself. It was adorable to see him try, with some of Merriell’s help. It was a creepy comment, but Merriell thought he was gorgeous when he slept. He was so peaceful and still, humming and drooling at times. He assumed that Eugene was tired and tried heading up, but by the time he had gotten to the stairs he had succumbed to a deep slumber. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The curly haired man, amused, walked over and grabbed the back of his head and knees, picking him up bridal style. Eugene hummed a little, his head nuzzling into Merriell’s chest. The deer boy adjusted himself slightly, making himself comfortable in Merriell’s arms. Eugene hated touch especially if it was unexpected. As he carried him up the stairs, Merriell buried his nose on the top of his head, inhaling the scent of his hair to calm him down. Eugene had so many amazing features, he was pure perfection. Merriell often questioned if he was real or not since he was so perfect. Anybody who had to say otherwise would have to take to his </span>
  <em>
    <span>fist. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Entering the bedroom, Merriell gently placed the red head into the bed, wrapping him in thick blankets to make sure he was warm enough. Stripping into more comfortable clothes, Merriell soon joined him. Eugene felt awful about sleeping in </span>
  <em>
    <span>his </span>
  </em>
  <span>bed, or as Merriell would describe it as </span>
  <em>
    <span>theres</span>
  </em>
  <span>. They started sleeping in the same bed together. Merriell could have had his way with him and held him tight, stroking his hair and doing what he pleases. But he couldn’t. Memories of seeing Eugene sob made him sob as well. The sound of a cry escaping from his mouth was something stapled in Merriel’s brain. He had trouble falling asleep, twisting and turning in bed. Leckie’s words kept going through his head. He was jealous, upset, and angry all at once.</span>
  
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>Eugene was his, not Leckies. </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The red head turned over to Merriell’s side. His face was so soft and vulnerable, red hair falling between his eyes. Merriell gently pushed them back, unable to resist the urge to not touch him. Eugene was so tempting, Merriell couldn’t control himself. His beautiful boy with flaming hair and freckles. To save himself from Eugene, Merriell turned to the other side, greeted with darkness. He yearned to touch and be touched by Merriell, but it would never happen</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Eugene was so close, yet so far. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>---</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene woke up to Deacon’s barks. Pushing himself up to tell the pointer to settle down, Deacon had already jumped on the bed and began licking his face. Wait, he didn’t remember being in bed. He jumped up and down on the mattress, feeling it bounce. Merriell probalry carried him up, a sigh escaping from his lips. He felt bad, feeling that he was a burden to the milky eyed man. Deacon was a sweet dog who Eugene had befriended upon his arrival at the cabin. He hadn’t even known the dog for a month and already felt like they had an emotional connection.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I know, I know..” Eugene silently purred, cupping Deacon’s cheeks as he licked his nose. “You're adorable. I think everyone knows that.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene turned over to the side of the left side to see that Merriell had made his side of the bed. He was usually up earlier than Eugene, either making tea for both of them or out on an early hunt. Today was Thanksgiving, so Eugene assumed that he was out getting good for the meal tonight. He used the nightstand to push himself up and hop over to the bathroom to clean himself up. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As he exited the bathroom, the red head noticed a white note and clothes neatly folded on the dresser. Hopping over, he read the note</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Heading out for a hunt for tonight. Left some tea and berries on the nightstand. Left you some nice clothes. I’ll be back as soon as possible, stay upstairs! </em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>-Mer </em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The handwriting was similar to a child’s, messy and chaotic. It looked like chicken coop. He was a </span>
  <em>
    <span>dear</span>
  </em>
  <span> and had better handwriting. The tea on the nightstand had already gotten cold and Deacon (somehow) ate the berries. He was going to attempt the staris one more time, but he had to get dressed first. There was no denying that Eugene was somewhat taller than Merriell. While Merriell was around five nine, Eugene was hitting six feet. But Merriell had a little more weight, which was muscle. The pants that he usually lended would go up to Eugene’s upper ankle, causing Merriell to blush and say</span>
  <em>
    <span> “Those pants are old”</span>
  </em>
  <span> or </span>
  <em>
    <span>“I shrunk a lil, wipe that smirk off yah face.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Eugene usually wore a robe or clothes that were too large for Merriell to wear.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Trying on the clothes, the red head was shocked that they had actually fit. He wore a beige cashmere sweater, black drop loop trousers, and a pair of chestnut moccasins. A red tartan scarf had also been left and Eugene wrapped it around his neck, smelling Merriell’s coconut scent on it. He occasionally smelt like cigarettes and bourbon. Merriell, for a hunter, knew how to take care of his hygiene. Eugene was shocked at how Merriell was usually clean out considering that he lived alone and had really no one to impress. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Deacon patiently waited for him to finish getting ready, and then sped downstairs. Eugene hopped and reached the edge of the stairs, looking down at them. They were steep and seemed quite intimidating, especially at the curve. His knee was still very swollen. Whenever he moved his knee, it stung in pain. But if he went slow and held onto the rail, then he would be okay.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>He was a man, not a boy. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Grasping onto the railing, Eugene slowly began his descent of hopping down the stairs. He had made it down three so far, only six left. It hurt at times, but Eugene managed to get through it. He hissed and gritted his teeth nearing the final three steps, but he was so close. He would prove to Merriell that he was not some little boy who needed to be tended for at all costs. That’s what he had experienced his whole life because of his heart murmur; a life of sugarcoating. While all of the other boys fought and hunted, he sat in his room reading since Mother Goose refused to let him out of her sight. One wrong move, and he could die. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>He could do this, he could take care of himself. He could be independent. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hopping off the last time, Eugene couldn’t believe it. A large smile was plastered onto his face, praising “Heck yes! Beat that, Ed.” He felt like he could go on a run, when he really couldn’t. Eugene felt so proud of himself, but kept it mainly to himself. Deacon ran over and jumped up on his good leg, demanding attention as usual. He knew that his master usually carried him down and didn’t know why he just walked down on his own freely, but Deacon didn’t care since he wouldn’t be alone anymore. Together, Eugene and Deacon headed to the kitchen to make some tea. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell returned from his hunt, driving his truck into the back of his house. He had caught a Rio Grande turkey, which were rare to find in Wyoming. This was the first year that he had someone else by his side for Thanksgiving. During the war, he and the recruits would usually get black out wasted. Besides that, Merriell never had a proper thanksgiving. Over the years, he wanted to forget about his childhood and had kept to his promise. This main goal was to impress Eugene, who was going to help him cook. Eugene was familiar with cooking since he did it with his mother a lot, but he struggled with meat. Eugene and him had made a peach pie a week ago which resulted in a dough fight. Merriell remembers getting egg yolk stuck in his hair which took over three hours to get out. He couldn’t get mad at Eugene, he had the perfect pout. Not only was he going to make traditional foods such as Turkey and mashed potatoes, but wanted to add a </span>
  <em>
    <span>cajun</span>
  </em>
  <span> spin. </span>
  <em>
    <span>A piece of his home. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The curly haired man assumed that Eugene would still be asleep. If he woke up early, he would have a cup of tea ready for Eugene. Eugene could get stubborn at times and demanded that he could do things on this own, especially when he couldn’t. The way he would squirm in Merriell’s arms and pout in defeat as Merriell whisked him to the bedroom in his arms. His stubbornness was fiery, like his burning auburn locks. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After skinning the turkey of it’s skin, Merriell decided to leave it in the large freezer in the garage. It was still quite early to start preparing. He walked fast, wanting to make sure Eugene wasn't doing anything </span>
  <em>
    <span>too</span>
  </em>
  <span> rebellious. He didn’t want him to hurt himself.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Opening the front door, Deacon came running towards him and laid down. Merriell already knew the routine, speaking to Deacon in French as he rubbed his stomach. Some clanging came from the kitchen. The curly haired man’s ears perked up at this, fearing for the worst. Was somebody else in the house besides Eugene? Did Eugene fall? Did he break some glass? Mentally cursing, he pushed himself up and ran to the kitchen.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He was greeted with Eugene, grabbing cups from the cupboard. He had been making some warm tea for himself and decided to make a cup of Jasmine, Merriell’s favorite tea. Merriell was shocked that he even knew how to make tea, let alone know where the cups are.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene turned over to him, a shy smile on his face. He was acting like everything was normal. The scarf was wrapped tightly around his neck, making him feel cosy. “Merriel, </span>
  <em>
    <span>bonjour</span>
  </em>
  <span>!” He greeted. Merriell had taught him some basic French words from his time in New Orleans.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Gene…” He said, looking a little shocked. Eugene handed him a cup, Mer took it, before placing it down. He grabbed Eugene’s shoulers, nudging him to sit down. “Thanks..listen. You gotta sit down, I don’t wantcha ta’ hurt yaself.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene raised his eyebrows, confused. If he could walk down the stairs, then he didn’t see the problem making tea. “I’m fine, Mer. I’m not going to hurt myself.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You could have hurt yourself comin’ down those stairs! You know how steep they are? Sometimes Deacon just </span>
  <em>
    <span>slides </span>
  </em>
  <span>down them. All it takes is one step and you’ll slip n’ hit ya h- .” Merriell rambled. He sounded just as overdramatic as Mother Goose would be if he got a papercut. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m not a little boy. You don’t have to carry me down the stairs and treat me like I’m a baby. I can make </span>
  <em>
    <span>tea </span>
  </em>
  <span>without you freaking out.” The redhead interrupted, crossing his arms. Merriell felt his cheeks heat up, he couldn’t be seriously mad at him. Eugene was one of the least intimidating people he knew. It was hard to wrap his head around that he charged Leckie and left him with a nasty scar. As much as he wanted to ask, Merriell wanted to wait for the time. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell sighed as he sat next to him, giving him pleading eyes. The red head let a quiet </span>
  <em>
    <span>hmph </span>
  </em>
  <span>from his lips, turning his head over with his arms crossed. He was coming off as a little brat, and Merriell loved every second of it. But in all seriousness, he needed to talk to him about this. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Eugene..” Merriel cooed, trying to get his attention. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene still ignored him, looking away with his arms still crossed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Gene..”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Euge..”</span>
  <span><br/>
<br/>
</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Geno..?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“...Red?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene, annoyed after several minutes of Merriell creating different nicknames for his name, turned over with his arms still crossed. “What..” He said, defeat evident in his mouth. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Listen, I’m not trying to be ya mama or anythin’. I know imma old man compared to you, but I’m...worried ‘bout you. Yer too stubborn for ya’ own good. Your gonna hurt yourself if you push yourself too hard..” Merriell explained, placing a hand on his shoulder. Eugene knew he was right, but didn’t like being in the wrong. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene sighed and looked down, running a hand through his hair. It ran up his antlers a little bit, fidgeting with a small horn. “I know, I just...don’t wanna be a burden on you. Being in bed all day and not having much to do isn’t really the best. I get bored, and I wanna help around the house. I don’t care if it’s cooking, cleaning, I need somethin’ to do.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“A burden? You?” The milky eyed man chuckled, patting his shoulder reassuringly. He hated when Eugene talked so poorly about himself. Eugene wasn’t a burden, he was a blessing in disguise. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Bullshit</span>
  </em>
  <span>. I love havin’ you here. Gets lonely when you got no one to talk to.” He looked at Deacon, shrugging his shoulders. “No offense, Deacon.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Deacon was simply confused, tilting his head to the far left. He wondered about his next meal. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The red head felt his cheeks burn up a little, looking down to hide his cheeks. Merriell smirked at his, loving to see his boy so flustered. Just as Eugene was about to insist, Merriell’s finger was brought to his lip. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t wanna hear ya talk shit ‘bout yourself. Your an angel, gene.” He responded, his cheeks showing some color too. There was a tension between the two. Was it romantic? They were silent; hazel orbs meeting the green ones. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The milky eyed man interrupted the silence as his finger trailed down his lips and chin, floating over his adam’s apple. “If you wanna help make dinner, be my guest. I’d love the company. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene nodded in response, still a little shaken. His finger was </span>
  <em>
    <span>right </span>
  </em>
  <span>on his lip. The only other person who had done that to him was...</span>
  <em>
    <span>him</span>
  </em>
  <span>. The man he knew before meeting humans. Was Merriell flirting with him? If so, he kept making it more obvious as the days went on. The staring, compliments, </span>
  <em>
    <span>subtle possessiveness</span>
  </em>
  <span> all made sense. If he just made it through the winter and could walk again, then could leave. A small part of him enjoyed being spoiled by a human, but he yearned to make sure his parents knew he was okay. He wanted to know if Sid was alive and the story of ‘battling humans” he would have to tell. The thought brought him joy and sadness. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The deer boy’s thoughts were disrupted as Merriell asked. “How does a movie sound? </span>
  <em>
    <span>Suspicion</span>
  </em>
  <span>?”  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sounds...</span>
  <em>
    <span>suspicious</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Eugene joked, earning a chuckle from the milky man’s lips. It was usually rare to see him laugh or smile, except if he was being cocky (or annoying). Putting the movie on, Merriell and Eugene shared a blanket with Deacon sitting in between them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>---</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As Eugene prepared the final finishing touches for the grand meal, Merriell ran up to the bedroom to change. He never gave a shit about his appearance until now. It completely wandered from his mind. His original plan was to dress up and surprise Eugene, but of course Eugene wanted to help. He wasn’t complaining at all though, being close to him and teasing him as he watched his cheeks burn up, </span>
  <em>
    <span>a true paradise</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Looking in the mirror, the curly haired man ran a hand through his unruly curls to tame them. He wore a black turtleneck, a navy tartan flannel, and khaki pants with his dark brown moccasins. A flannel was a staple in his wardrobe, whether it be a hat or shirt. He felt quite insecure, not feeling like he looked clean cut enough. Eugene always looked good no matter any situation; being shot in the knee, vomiting, </span>
  <em>
    <span>anything</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He heard Eugene’s voice call him down, along with a bark from Deacon.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell walked down the stairs, seeing Eugene stare at him. He scaled his body, shocked by his cleaned up appearance. It wasn’t over the top, which was fine. Eugene wasn’t going to lie and say that Merriell was attractive in a unique way. He wasn’t the stereotypical knight in shining armor with his milky enlarged eyes and bronzed skin, but Eugene liked it. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Eugene liked different. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You like nice.” Eugene complimented being friendly and nice. He wasn’t trying to boost Merriell’s ego or think that he was flirting. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell’s cheeks grew, feeling flustered. He hid it with a smirk. “Thanks, but </span>
  <em>
    <span>you </span>
  </em>
  <span>look even </span>
  <em>
    <span>nicer</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene chuckled as they headed to the table. It was a simple meal; a turkey, berry salad, wild corn, and mashed potatoes. The desert was Merriell’s surprise. He was shocked that they didn’t burn down the kitchen this time. Merriell claimed himself to be a “not too shabby” cook, especially when he almost blew up the stove. The deer boy had bits of human life taught to him, but happily adjusted to his new lifestyle that was </span>
  <em>
    <span>hopefully </span>
  </em>
  <span>temporary. After saying their graces and thanks, the two men (andDeacon) began to eat and silently celebrate. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>---</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Alcohol was something that Eugene was familiar with, but never tried. His family considered themselves to be “alcohol snobs”, but Eugene never understood. He thought wine tasted like sour grapefruit juice and bourbon was like black, bitter coffee. Not to mention, he felt extremely bloated from all of the food. He was no longer a “meat virgin” as he tried the Turkey and enjoyed it, but mainly stuck to the berry salad and wild corn. Merriell had been kind enough to make him a Sazerac, which he gulped two cups of down. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The dinner was very nice. Both of the men were slightly intoxicated. Eugene couldn’t help that Merriell knew how to make a </span>
  <em>
    <span>mean</span>
  </em>
  <span> drink. The deer boy and hunter discussed a range of topics such as movies, music, and their past lives. Merriell was originally from New Orleans and had come to Wyoming six years ago to live a life of seclusion and peace. Although a hunter, he seemed to have good morals and respected the wildlife. He was overall a nice man, occasionally cocky and sarcastic. But there was something about him that was depressing and mysterious. It seemed like he didn’t really have anybody else besides him and Deacon. The main reason he came to Wyoming was to “</span>
  <em>
    <span>go off the grid, become a ghost.” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Eugene didn’t want to prey and make him uncomfortable, but it seemed like Merriell wore a mask to conceal his pain. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Eugene knew Merriell’s pain all too well. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The timer went off in the kitchen, alerting the two men (and dog). “Hold on, Imma get the desert. Issa piece of home.” Merriell finished the last of his drink, pushing himself up from the chair. His hand slid against Eugene’s chair (and nape), making Eugene subtly jump. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell knew it. He was </span>
  <em>
    <span>in love</span>
  </em>
  <span> with Eugene. Yes, it was one of the first men he had any connection with in years. But, this one was different. Instead of a sexual connection, it was an emotional connection. He rather have a five hour conversation with Eugene then do the deed, which he hadn’t done in a long time. The way he talked and fidgeted his fingers drove him insane. But he had to come to his senses. He couldn’t lead his thoughts on like this. Once spring sprung, Eugene would go back to his family. Merriell was worried considering that  Leckie was </span>
  <em>
    <span>intent </span>
  </em>
  <span>on having Eugene as a trophy, pet, or whatever sick fantasy he had. He couldn’t blame Leckie, Eugene was truly breathtaking. But if Leckie even considered laying a single finger on him, Merriell marked his words; </span>
  <em>
    <span>he would feel his wrath</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He took the desert and placed it on a cookie plate. He added a Cajun spin on the Thanksgiving meal. Eugene turned around and saw him walk in with a plate. It looked like fattened, fresh bread with sugar dazzled all over it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The red head’s hazel orbs glowed up, curious. It looked mouthwatering! “What is that?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Beignets, mon boug</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
  <span> Merriell cooed, his french side coming out. He was fluent in pig french according to </span>
  <span>Jay De L'Eau. Pig french was similar to European French, but it had it’s slang and own terms. “And yes, the stove is fine. It’s not burnin’ up..” </span>
  <em>
    <span>Like you. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Placing the plate down, Eugene’s eyes saw the steam come off of them. Merriell, for someone who lived by himself, was shockingly quite the cook. He was usually unorganized and got stressed easily, but could whip up anything with the right dedication. Merriell insisted that Eugene try the Beignets first, and he did. Eugene examined it, intrigued. When the powder fell, he jumped back a little. But when placing it in his mouth, it was heaven. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene ended up eating three of the Beignets without any hesitation. Merriell expected Eugene to gain a little weight, but he didn’t. He ate a good amount of food and it simply </span>
  <em>
    <span>flew </span>
  </em>
  <span>through him. On the other hand, Deacon was not like that. At one point in his life Deacon did weigh a few pounds over, but that wasn’t something Merriell wanted to touch with a ten foot pole. Merriell did comment on how skinny he was, and Eugene told him that he sounded just like his “mother goose”. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Yeah, only if Merriell had one. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thank you for the Beignets, Mer. They were amazing…” Eugene stated, wiping his mouth with a napkin. He missed a small smudge on the corner of his pink thin lips. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, </span>
  <em>
    <span>anythin’ for you</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Merriell mumbled, his cheeks showing some color. He loved how polite he was, always thanking him and saying please. His mother goose sure did raise a good boy.  He could have just told him that there was a smudge, but he couldn’t hold himself back. He leaned over, his thumb scotting the white sugar from his lip. Eugene froze with his eyebrows raised and cheeks a tomato red. His thumb slid to the middle of his lip, slightly dragging his lower lip down. A small huff escaped from Eugene’s mouth.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> God, he loved it when he was like this. Yes, it was over the top and even subtly creepy. Eugene didn’t resist his touch, though. His finger traced down Eugene’s chin. </span>
  <em>
    <span>There came that awkward silence</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Both of them stared at each other. Merriell was so close to him, inhaling his vanilla scent. He could hear Eugene’s small breathing and the heat had emerged from his cheeks. It was such a tender moment. If he moved forward a little more, he could give him his first kiss. Merriell wanted to be the person who took his first kiss. </span>
  <em>
    <span>He had to be. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“T-the dishes!” The red head stated, pushing his chair back and getting up. Merriell looked up at him noticing that he was </span>
  <em>
    <span>absolutely </span>
  </em>
  <span>flustered. “I’m going to start, can you put a r-record on please?” His heart broke just a little more. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>One day, One day it will happen. </span>
  </em>
  <span>That’s what Merriell kept telling himself. It hadn’t even been a month yet. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>---</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After the cleanup, Eugene went to the bathroom to wash his hands while Merriell went to change the record. </span>
  <em>
    <span>The Andrew Sisters</span>
  </em>
  <span> record had finished and Merriell found a Nat King Cole record. Nat King Cole had been one of the only positive memories from his childhood. When he was younger he remembers dancing with Jade, his little sister. She was about five years his junior. One of his core memories was the southern Louisiana sun burning on top of them as he swayed her around, her feet on top of his. Actually, her birthday was coming up soon actually, three days before christmas. </span>
  <em>
    <span>She would be twenty five, right? </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He moved the needle to the middle of the record. Unforgettable was his favorite song. It reminded him of Jade, and weirdly enough Eugene. Closing his arms, he swayed his hips lightly, remembering the only good thing that came out of his life. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Unforgettable</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Unforgettable</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>That's what you are</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Unforgettable</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Tho' near or far</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene walked into the room, seeing a drunken Merriell, singing and dancing to himself. A smile appeared on his face. It was adorable to see him spin on his heels, slurring the words perfectly (somehow, the man was full of secret talents). He sat in the loveseat across from Merriell and the fire. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The curly hair man inhaled Eugene’s scent. He spun around, his eyes fluttering open. A goofy smile appeared on his face. </span>
  <em>
    <span>He was a happy ol’ drunk. </span>
  </em>
  <span>“Gene! Come, dance with me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Dance? <em>Me</em>?” Eugene simpered, looking down at his feet. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Great, just great.</span>
  </em>
  <span> He danced with his mother goose, but no one else. “I can’t.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Like a song of love</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>That clings to me</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>How the thought of you</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Does things to me</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Never before</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Has someone been more</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A snort emerged from Merriell’s mouth, “Well, you can try darlin’..” Walking over and grabbing Eugene’s hands. </span>
  <em>
    <span>What an odd nickname, darlin’? </span>
  </em>
  <span>Eugene was confounded. He huffed in responded, feeling quite embarrassed. But he didn’t want to disappoint a very happy Merriell.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Unforgettable</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>In every way</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>And forever more</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>That's how you'll stay.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell’s hands rested on the red head’s lower back, holding one his hands. His hold was quite gentle and even soothing. His fingers played with the back of Eugene’s sweater. “Here, follow ma lead.” He cooed. “Wrap one of yer arms round me, don’t be shy.” Eugene slung his arm over the edge of his shoulder, resting it there. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell, just like before, was so close to him. Although sloppily drunk, he made sure to be gentle with him. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Just like he was with his sister. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Eugene’s feet would accidentally step on Merriell’s, but he didn’t even notice. He felt Eugene lean in, getting more into the groove. The grip on his back tight end, refusing to let go. Jade and Eugene (yes, deacon) were the only people he ever truly cared about. All he wanted was to just hug Eugene for the rest of his life, never letting him go. It was absolutely greedy, but he wanted him all himself and for no one else to have him. He wanted to claim Eugene as his, to call someone his was a dream that was simply out of reach. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>That's why, darling</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>It's incredible</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>That someone so unforgettable</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Thinks that I am</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Unforgettable, too.</span>
  </em>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Unforgettable</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>In every way</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>And forever more</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>That's how you'll stay.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell earned a chuckle to escape Eugene’s lips. He looked up, seeing a smile on his face. It was different this time. It wasn’t smaller or closed, but big and bright. Eugene seemed..way too happy. Whether it was the alcohol or not, he was truly enjoying himself, not once rebelling or groaning. His cheeks were pink as it brought color to his ghostly skin and the white freckles on his face. The antlers were the cherry on top as it added a mature aspect to </span>
  <em>
    <span>Eugene, an innocent boy.</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yer smilin..” The curly hair man pointed out, his breath smelling of bourbon. Eugene looked down at him, cheeks right. It slightly disappeared, feeling somewhat embarrassed at Merriell noticing. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Y-yeah. Sorry, I jus-” Eugene looked down, removing his hands from him. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Oh god damn it! Of course he noticed. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene felt a pair of hands wrap around his cheeks, turning his head towards Merriell. His hands cupped the sides of his face, his upper fingers playing with his hair. “Why the hell are ya apologzin? Y’know, y’ should smile mor. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I like it</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A small thank you came from his lips. Merriell felt the head burning on his cheeks. They were so close together. Merriell couldn’t tell if he was dreaming or not, the alcohol was getting to the better of him. The smile Eugene once had resurfaced back onto his face, but this time much shyer. The red head wasn’t going to lie, he liked the attention. It also perplexed him. Back with the pack, </span>
  <em>
    <span>he</span>
  </em>
  <span> use to tell Eugene the same thing and showered him with compliments. But Merriell was </span>
  <em>
    <span>softer, kinder</span>
  </em>
  <span> then </span>
  <em>
    <span>he ever was</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Merriell treated him like he was a human and not a shiny trophy on display. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The deer boy felt the hunter lean into him more. Not near his face, </span>
  <em>
    <span>but nearly falling onto the ground.</span>
  </em>
  <span> With little strength, he pushed Merriell back up. A laugh escaped from his lips. Merriell was not only intoxicated, but bloated and exhausted. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Come on, Merriell.” Eugene cooed, taking his hand and leading him to the stairs. “Let's go up. You're tired.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene felt his hand be tugged back by Merriell. It was strong and quick. He could barely react before he was once again, swept up into Merriell’s arms. His hands cupped the back of auburn locks and gaunt legs. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I ain’t tired to do </span>
  <em>
    <span>this.” </span>
  </em>
  <span>The milky eye man looked into his eyes, feeling quite cocky. “Don’t want yah to hurt ya ‘self.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene, not wanting to fall, wrapped his arms around Merriell’s neck. He hated being carried, but he was pretty exhausted himself. “Just this one. Don’t get </span>
  <em>
    <span>too</span>
  </em>
  <span> ahead of yourself.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell laughed in response as his chin rubbed against Eugene’s sleeve. Merriell carried him with a tight grip, not wanting to hurt Eugene’s antlers. It was another striking feature from Eugene. They lazily threw on their pajamas and climbed into bed. Eugene fell asleep immediately while Merriell didn’t, somewhat awake. Even alcohol sometimes didn’t help him fall asleep. He turned over to see Eugene</span>
  <em>
    <span>, his sweet little deer boy.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Every night, the curly haired man watched the red head softly snore, drool coming from his mouth. Dancing with him and having him so close to him made Merriell’s thoughts go wild, like a schoolgirl crushing over her handsome professor. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>It was love, but forbidden. </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>They seemed so close, yet so far. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Merriell hadn’t even known Eugene for a month and felt like he had known him for years. The two men grew quite close without the fair share of drama. But one thing Merriell was certain of is that he was in love. He was in love with Eugene; for his kindness, bravery, childish innocent, auburn locks, dopey hazel orbs, porcelain skin, h</span>
  <em>
    <span>e could name everything amazing about him. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>But everything good that happened in Merriell’s life always came at a price. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Did Eugene love him back? He most likely didn’t. Eugene was a beautiful, pure, and young spirit while Merriell was an old, broken and sadistic man. The red head was an angel and he was the devil. The beauty to his beast. </span>
  <em>
    <span>The sadistic lion who had fallen in love with the lovely little lamb</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Their romance was never meant to be. But time had a funny way of playing things out. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene made Merriell forget about all of the pain and loneliness that infected his life. His smile, let alone Eugene </span>
  <em>
    <span>by himself, </span>
  </em>
  <span>made Merriell forget his own name. He didn’t know what he would do without him. Of course he would be able to manage since he’s lived most of his adult life lost and alone, but it added a small, shining light in his ever growing darkness. It seemed like the light was now overtaking the darkness. But when spring came, the darkness would come back. His dream would be over. But with the time he had left, Merriell was going to make sure he used it to the best of his advantage. For the time he had Eugene, he was going to claim him as his,</span>
  <em>
    <span> for now</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Soon sleep overtook Merriell as he felt his eyes get heavy. He gave into sleep, a smile on his face. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>That's why, darling</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>It's incredible</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>That someone so unforgettable</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Thinks that I am</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Unforgettable, too</span>
  </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>1.)<br/>The Sazerac is a local New Orleans variation of a cognac or whiskey cocktail, named for the Sazerac de Forge et Fils brand of cognac brandy that served as its original main ingredient<br/>Source: Wikipedia.org</p><p>2.)<br/>Charming scoundrel Johnnie Aysgarth (Cary Grant) woos wealthy but plain Lina McLaidlaw (Joan Fontaine), who runs away with him despite the warnings of her disapproving father (Cedric Hardwicke). After their marriage, Johnnie's risky financial ventures cause Lina to suspect he's becoming involved in unscrupulous dealings. When his dear friend and business partner, Beaky (Nigel Bruce), dies under suspicious circumstances on a business trip, she fears her husband might kill her for her inheritance. (1949)<br/>Source: Google.com</p><p>3.)<br/>Beignet, synonymous with the English fritter, is the French term for a pastry made from deep-fried choux pastry. Beignets may also be made from other types of dough, including yeast dough.<br/>Source: Wikipedia.com</p><p>4.)<br/>Mon Boug = My boy (Cajun French)<br/>Source: sugiebee.blogspot.com</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter Four</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Tensions begin rise when Eugene ask Merriell's stance of Hunting. Eugene and Merriell have a nice dinner until everything goes south.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: heavy mentions of rape blowjob/abuse ahead (and full-blown angst train)</p><p>Hey guys!! Here's chappie four! Five and four are going to be kinda combined, you'll see! I'm gonna try updating as frequently as possible before Septemeber, but with online classes and school prep it's a little stressful. I am shamelessly inspired by beauty and the beast/little mermaid in these upcoming chapters hehe. This chappie is gonna be a lil' more angsty than usual, so be warned!! If you could leave a comment, that would be g8. Hope you enjoy the chappie! ;-)</p><p> </p><p>-Carrie</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Stepping out of the garage, Merriell noticed Eugene from the back porch window, humming as he made dinner with a white apron on and Deacon by his side. Whenever Deacon would demand a piece of food, he could hit his legs and Eugene could throw him a small piece of meat, petting his head. Recently, Eugene had been begging to do more around the house. After a few days of thinking, Merriell finally allowed it. His knee was still healing, so he did simple tasks such as making dinner, do laundry, or even watch Deacon in the backyard. Eugene felt like he wasn’t doing enough, but it was enough in Merriell’s eyes. He forgot how amazing it felt to have someone by his side. The deer boy's smile was so majestic to look at it as it lit up the whole room. Eugene had been smiling more lately, and it wasn’t forced or fake. A genuine, toothy smile. Merriell was sure he could stare at him all day long. The urge to hold him close and love him was getting harder as the days went on. </p><p>He knew it would never happen, but wished it could. </p><p>Walking through the front door, he was greeted with Deacon begging for attention. Of course, Deacon got what he wanted, no one could resist Deacon’s adorable face. Eugene came out of the kitchen, greeting Merriell. </p><p>“Hey, Mer.” Eugene walked over and helped take off his jacket. He remembers doing this to his father a lot, someone who he respected. He didn’t see the issue in it since Merriell was a friend to him. “How was it out there?”</p><p>Merriell’s cheeks would burn whenever Eugene would grab his coat for him. He never protested against Eugene’s touch, taking every advantage he could. His skin was so soft and gentle. He had seen him naked only a handful of times, especially at the beginning of his stay, but his skin was truly perfect. “Cold as fuck. Snow is gettin’ worse ‘n Deacon can’t even walk through it straight, usually just eats his way through.”</p><p>Eugene chuckled at the remark, hanging up the jacket on the hook. Both of them walked to the kitchen. Merriell was greeted with spaghetti mixed with vegetables, a salad, and two cold beers waiting for them. Was it even real? His whole life had been turned upside down within a month. He used to eat alone, but now he has company. It was a blessing in disguise. It had to be. Merriell didn’t believe in god, but he remembers praying in his dream for someone to come into his life.</p><p>If so, was this it?</p><p>Merriell grabbed Eugene’s chair, pushing him in before they both sat down and began to eat. Eugene was shockingly a great cook, especially with little experience. He told Merriell that since his mother was so overprotective that she wouldn’t let him leave the house which resulted in him cooking a lot. It was interesting to hear what people like Eugene would do. Their lives were so similar, yet different. </p><p>This conversation resulted in the topic discussion of their past lives. Merriell talked a lot about the war (leaving out the gore) and New Orleans. Eugene listened so intently as his chin rested in the palm of his hands, curious about human life. Both Merriell and Eugene were fascinated with each other. The curly-haired man couldn’t take his eyes off of Eugene as he noticed every little move he did. The smiles, fidgeting, moving a piece of hair out of his face, the two rings on his left hand and right hand. </p><p>“Gene, what’s on your fingers?” Merriell asked, curiosity in his voice. He pointed at the two rings that were on his two hands hand. One of them was like a statement ring, a gold band with a purple jewel in the middle. It looked like it was more expensive than his house. The other ring was a very minimalistic yet beautiful; an aged, gold band with small pearls imprinted in it. Men usually wore rings if it was a family heirloom, or if they were married. </p><p>Eugene looked at his hand, noticing the two rings. One of them reminded him of old times, a good memory embedded in his heart. He fidgeted his fingers, admiring how beautiful they both were. Beauty that would conceal the pain. A small dreamy sigh escaped from his lips, moving his hand forward. He pointed at the bigger one and began explaining. “My father gave this to me when I turned eighteen last year. He gave it to be for entering manhood, just like his father had. I never take it off.” </p><p>Flashes of his family came back into his mind. Family was everything to him. Yes, they did get on his nerves at times, but they always supported him no matter what. He missed the long walks with his father after supper and the way his mother goose would stroke his hair as he cried into her lap. What were they thinking? His mother goose was so fragile and was sobbing for her youngest child. Although Eugene wasn’t a mother, he could feel her pain. Ed was probably looking all over the woods with his men and Him. He couldn’t even think of his name without his chest tightening. Fuck. He asked about the other ring. The one he couldn’t take off. </p><p>“Wait, wait, wait..” Merriell stopped him, taking a sip of his drink before putting it down. Eugene looked young, but the thought of hearing him be under the age of twenty made him cringe. Was in love with someone a whole decade younger than him? “Your eighteen?”</p><p>“Well, nineteen actually.” Eugene corrected. He saw Merriell’s cheeks go red as he sunk into his chair. </p><p>Looking confused, the red head tilted his head as he asked, “How old are you, Merriell?”</p><p>Fuck! He should’ve kept his mouth shut, he was deep into it. “Well...um…” The curly haired man’s cheeks were growing red. He was at least eleven years older than Eugene, not to mention in love with him. “I’m thirty, a little older than you are…”</p><p>“Your thirty?” Eugene still had his head tilted, confused. He couldn’t believe Merriell was thirty years old! For someone who drank and smoked quite frequently, he looked rather young to him. His skin was wrinkleless. “I thought you were younger, you don’t have any wrinkles.”</p><p>God damnit! He knew Eugene wasn’t trying to flirt with him, but he felt like he was. He felt like a creep for finding someone half of his age beautiful. He cleared his throat as he sat back up. “Thanks, Eugene…” Before any other awkward questions were asked, Merriell instantly looked back at the ring. “What about the other ring?”</p><p>“Oh, it’s n-nothin’ special.” Eugene tried to shrug it off, looking away.</p><p>Merriell quirked an eyebrow, leaning in. Whenever Eugene’s ears went red, he knew he was hiding something and he was dying to find out. “Bullshit. Come on, I won’t judge.”</p><p>Eugene fidgeted with the ring, looking down at it. How would Merriell react to this? “You won’t judge..?”</p><p>“No, Eugene. Why would I?” Merriell promised, a softer tone in his voice.</p><p>A sigh escaped from his mouth. Merriell was infatuated with him, right? Would he truly judge  him? “Well, I’m actually engaged..to a man.” </p><p>Merriell’s eyes widened at his response, nearly spitting out his drink. Eugene was engaged? Someone who was supposed to be married, and too a man? He didn’t find being married to a man odd, but the fact that Eugene was engaged. He knew he shouldn’t have even considered the thought, but he felt jealousy tingle through his body. “Engaged? Hrm..” Merriell looked down at  his food. “How’d you meet?”</p><p>Eugene fidgeted with the ring, spinning it around on his finger. “At a ball. It was arranged, actually. It was on my eighteenth birthday.” </p><p>---</p><p>Eugene admired the ring on his finger that was given by his father. He had shown it to Sid, who was smitten with it. It was an heirloom. It was definitely a statement with it’s large purple jewel, but it meant a lot. His father was the reason he was the person he was. Whenever he looked down at it, a smile appeared on his face.</p><p>The so-called “him” or “he” his parents had been talking out turned out to be Percy, one of Ed’s closest aquantines. His mother dragged him away from Sid and the food stand, saying that he was dying to meet him. He couldn’t resist his own mother goose, she was everything to him. </p><p>The ball was being thrown for Ed, Eugene’s oldest brother, engagement. Eugene didn’t really care to know who the doe was, but was happy for them. It was a glamorous room full of food, people, and music. Sid and him hid in the corners of the room, stealing all of the berries as they watched all of the eligible does. While Sid was interested, Eugene didn’t care one bit. All he cared about was reading his books or exploring the endless woods. </p><p>Dragging him through the crowd, Eugene and his mother finally approached his father and Ed. His father looked at him and smiled seeing his peaceful son with his mother, a sight that never got old. Ed looked down at his brother, who still fiddled with his hands and hunchbacked for a boy who was turning into a man. Eugene, while always in the shadow of Ed, was favoured by his parents due to his heart condition. Ed didn’t understand why everyone was so in love with his red headed brother, he saw him as wimpy and scrawny. All he was good for was to be bossed around by someone. Eugene wasn’t a leader, but a follower. He knew the perfect person for him.</p><p>“Little brother!” Ed faked smiled, wrapping an arm around his younger brother. He winced in his arms, returning a small smile back. His father would kill him if he didn’t show any affection towards poor, little Eugene. “Lovely party, isn’t?”</p><p>“Yes, it’s wonderful.” Eugene lied right through his teeth as he looked up at his brother. Eugene never connected with his brother. They were close in age, but always seemed so stranded. He knew Ed never cared about him much, always focused on hunting and other boyish things. He knew Ed hated him for the way he was born, which was something he couldn’t help. </p><p>“Your coming of age, Eugene. Eighteen is when you become a real man.” Ed began to explain, walking his brother away from his parents. All Eugene saw was his father nod to the brother with Ed winking in response. What was going on? Ed squeezed Eugene’s shoulder for him to look forward, a drink in hand. </p><p>“When most men become men, they usually...leave their parents and say, marry a pretty lil’ doe and start a family of their own. I know that you’ve never thought about marriage at all, but you won’t have to worry anymore about that. There’s someone who’s had an eye for you for a long time now..”</p><p>Eugene turned to him, feeling uncomfortable. Was he talking about marriage? Ed was four years older than him and had waited a while for marriage, wanting to find the right time to settle down. He felt his stomach drop at the thought of his. In his eighteen years, he had barely experienced life. The wink and nod had given everything away; his family was trying to set him up for marriage. </p><p>Ed had brought Eugene up to a dashing buck who towered over him. His antlers were sharp and pointed. He was tall with sun tanned skin and emerald orbs; his blonde hair had been pushed back. Looking at Eugene, his eyebrows raised, his gaze not leaving him. </p><p>“I want you to meet Percy, a close friend of mine. You’ve probably seen him before at our home. Eugene, meet Percy.” </p><p>The red head was hesitant, but Ed pushed him forwards. “Sorry Percy, he’s a lil’ shy.”<br/>Percy didn’t even speak any words and just looked up at him. Like everyone who met Eugene, they were usually taken back with his ghostly skin and auburn hair. No one in his family had hair like him. His features were more boyish then manly, not to mention how he didn’t act like a buck, but a doe. That was all he was known more, being the weakest one in the pack.</p><p>He brought his large fingers to Eugene’s small chin, making him look up at him. Eugene’s cheeks were red, just like his hair. As much as Eugene felt uncomfortable, he stands there since he knows his place in a situation such as this. “You’re brothers? I can’t believe it. You look nothing like your brother..”</p><p>An obnoxious laugh comes from Ed’s mouth. Eugene knows it’s an insult that he’s been told all his face. His eyes felt watery knowing that he’ll never be as perfect, charming, or handsome as Ed. “That’s what they all say. But Eugene’s got some promising features, Percy. He’s been raised like a doe this whole life due to his weak heart. Knows how to cook and clean better than Mother does sometimes.”</p><p>Percy was exactly like Ed to say the least; someone who has more bronze than brains. He is handsome, yes. But all he seems good for is hunting and impressing any naive doe he sees. Eugene wasn’t too fond of him whatsoever. He hated being treated like he was a fragile doe, or object for the matter. Percy went on about all of the mooses and kills he had made, all of the other bucks he had defeated in battle. He never bothered to once ask Eugene about himself, except when to remark his “frail beauty”. He could touch his hair and caress his skin causing Eugene to squirm in discomfort. Eugene was smart enough to know that Percy didn’t care about him as a person, he just wanted a pretty trophy to carry around in his arms. That’s what his parents wanted for him? He’d rather wait for the right one, but his dreams we’re being crushed. All he could do was hide behind a fake smile and smile through the pain. </p><p>Within the hour, Percy had spontaneously proposed. The speech felt so dry and emotionless. Eugene had barely known him and to pop a ring out was so bizarre for him. All Percy saw him was as a pretty little thing he could use whenever he needed it.</p><p>In the books he read the hero would connect with their lover through time and not rush it. All of the spotlight was on him. Percy held his hand, squeezing it for him to respond. He looked up and saw his parents, smiling with glee, begging him with their eyes to say yes. Sid peered through the crowds and looked at Eugene, shock in his eyes. While everyone gave him happy stares, Ed did not. </p><p>He had a smile on, but he was right behind Eugene, saying through his teeth. “Say yes. Just say it.” </p><p>He could have said no. He could have thrown the ring in his pig-like face and run off with Sid, a platter of food into the endless woods. But he wasn’t Ed, he was Eugene. “I...do.” He stuttered out, holding back tears. The crowd began to clap, cheering and whistling. The attention was being dragged all onto Eugene and his new fiance. He wouldn’t have even imagined this happening to him. Percy slid the ring on his finger and tried to kiss his lips with a firm grasp on his waist, but Eugene turned for him to kiss his cheek. </p><p>This is where all of the problems began to occur. </p><p>His parents came over and kissed his forehead, congratulating him. He didn’t even get to tell Sid about all of his news before he was dragged away by Percy. Percy excused them for the party stating that Eugene was getting “exhausted” from all of the attention. He could tell he was upset with the fact that Eugene refused his kiss. How dare he do such a thing! Not even five minutes after their proposal, the couple was about to have their very first fight. Percy practically dragged Eugene out (considering that he weighed nothing) of the area and outside behind the trees for some privacy. </p><p>“What were you thinking?” Percy hissed, tightening the grasp on Eugene's wrist. </p><p>Percy earned a hushed whimper in response. Eugene could barely look at him straight. “I-I’m waiting for marriage.”</p><p>“Ed told me you would be like this. Always wantin’ to do your own thing.” Percy ranted. His affect had completely changed now. He was so much larger then Eugene was. “Y’know, all the bucks say that your a doe, always hangin’ out with the does. You even act like one. No one considers you a buck, your just a doe.”</p><p>Eugene felt embarrassed. He lifted his head, baffled. Was Percy trying to insult him? He was a doe, not a buck. “What do you mean? I’m a buck, not a doe.” He began to back away as Percy got closer to him. What would he do with him? But he wasn’t going to let Percy flat out insult him. “Just because I’m not huntin’, doesn’t mean I’m a doe.”</p><p>That night, the red head learned that Percy had a short temper. </p><p>He felt his arms being restrained as his face met with the grass. Percy pinned him to the ground, hearing his hearty and frustrated breathing. “When Ed told me ‘bout you, he said that you’d just stand there and be pretty. Dat’s what all the does are for. Ed lied. I’m not takin’ any bullshit from someone who’s gonna use there mouth.” </p><p>“What are you gonna do?” Eugene hissed back, trying to sound intimidating. He attempted to shake out of his hold, but failed to. </p><p>A smirk appeared on his face, holding his grip together. The golden haired man grabbed the red head and pinned him against the wall, holding him down. He wasn’t even trying considering that Eugene was so weak. “You look pretty cute squirmin’.” </p><p>His fingers traced onto his chin as Eugene looked away, forcing his stare back to him. Tears were beginning to form at Eugene’s eyes. Was this a sick dream? Percy knew how much family meant to Eugene. He knew what heartstrings to pull. </p><p>“What would you mama think of her lil’ boy acting against her husband who he’s happy with?” Percy purred, moving a strand of auburn hair out of his neatly gelled hair. Eugene whimpered at his touch. His hair was his most striking feature; it was shiny, silky, and red like fire. “Your poor parents, ‘dere poor baby boy actin’ up. If I told this lil’ encounter that happened between you and me, it would sure ruin the night. Especially Ed’s engagement...make you quite selfish, wouldn’t it, genie?”</p><p>The red headed boy looked down, a huff escaping from his lips. He wanted to fight back against him, but he had a point. His parents would be disappointed if he ruined Ed’s big night. Besides, who would listen to someone like Eugene? He nodded in response, embarrassed that he was so submissive.</p><p>“I’m not done. Your not goin’ free without’ ta punishment.” The golden haired man stated. He stood up, undoing the belt around his waist. “Strip down.”</p><p>Eugene raised an eyebrow, backing up against the tree. It was so hard to process everything that was occurring at the moment. Eugene barely had any experience with relationships, let alone sex. He was beyond scared. “W-what? No! I’m waitin ‘till marriage…”</p><p>“Waitin’ till marriage?” Percy took a second to process this, thinking it through. That was easy to work around. “Fine, but doesn’t mean you can’t suck it still.”</p><p>Eugene kept hesitating and begging not to do so until he felt his cheeks burn up. He fell to the ground, a loud moan escaping from his mouth. Percy had slapped him to shut him up, which clearly didn’t work. The golden haired man clasped his auburn hair, pulling him up. </p><p>“Shut up!” He hushed, holding him up. He made all kinds of threats towards Eugene, spitting in his face. Percy scolded Eugeene like he was a child. Hand still in his hair, Percy undid his pants and slid them down. Eugene couldn’t turn around and was forced to look at his manhood. </p><p>“What are you doing sittin’ there? Don’t make me angry.” </p><p>He had no other choice now. Percy was his fiance. As much as he hated him, there was nothing he could do. His family’s happiness was more important than his. He was a doe after all; sit still and look pretty with no thoughts or a brain of his own. </p><p>---</p><p>Merriell looked at Eugene, looking down at the ring. He had a melancholic look in his hazel eyes, a soft sigh escaping from his mouth. He thought he had known Eugenee well, but he was never told of the engagement. The older man should’ve known that it was an engagement ringer considering that it was on Eugene’s ring finger. But what had made him livid was that Eugene was being forced to marry a man who only saw him as property, not a person.</p><p>“You barley have known him and he wants to marry you? But for what?” Merriell asked, trying to be polite. He felt awful, wishing he never asked. </p><p>“Because I’m weak, Mer.” Eugene responded. What did Merriell think of him now? He knew that Merriell thought he was weak, which he wasn’t wrong about. “Someone who’s easy to control. He would only use me If he needed entertainment. I couldn’t fight back against him, one punch and..it could’ve all gone wrong. It was better to be silent.”</p><p>Mer shifted uncomfortably, his fists tightening at his. Eugene was the last person who deserved such cruel treatment. He was in a forced marriage and only doing it to make his parents happy. If the curly haired man had met Percy or Ed, he would make sure both of them felt the same pain that Eugene felt. The curly haired man never had a big family of his own, but knew the pain of being lied to, or being the one lying. </p><p>How could he let Eugene go now? It was physically impossible. He could be going back into a soulless arranged marriage with oblivious parents and a cruel brother. As much as he wanted to speak, he kept his mouth shut. Eugene loved his parents more than anything in the world and would do anything for him. But he couldn’t stand there and let Eugene be abused. A relationship was suppose to built off of love and communication, not possession. </p><p>“You shouldn’t let him push you around like that. If he hurts you, you gotta tell yer parents. Take if from me, Gene,” Merriell explained, trying to explain that this wasn’t a good relationship. In truth, he was greedy and wanted the red head all to himself. He hadn’t even been in a serious relationship before, but he promised that he could treat Eugene better then Percy would ever. Heck, Merriell would kiss the ground Eugene walked on. “Relationships are supposed to be built on trust. Would your parents wanna see ya witha bruise on yer face?”</p><p>Eugene shook his head. Suddenly, Mer’s fingers were on his chin, making him look up. A small tear streamed from Eugene’s eye with Merriell’s thumb wiping it away. Eugene felt scared at first, but knew he was trying to be nice. He had known Merriell for a short amount of time, but he treated him so well. A piece of him wanted to go home, but a piece of him considered staying with Eugene. </p><p>“You gotta lot jewelry, Genie. I’ll give ya a piece of me.” Merriell quipped. His hands let his jaw before taking something off of his neck, gently placing something around his neck. Eugene’s hands traveled around the sterling chair, fiddling with it. His hands eventually reached what he assumed to be the “charm”. He titled his head, admiring the text on it. It seemed so recent, but the sterling was agining. The dog tag had words and numbers that Eugene didn’t recognize, except Merriell’s name. But the dog tag looked familiar, he noticed it on Deacon as well.</p><p>“Merriell...Shelton?” Eugene murmured, scaling the dog tag. He was intrigued with it, then looking up at the curly haired man. As much as he appreciated it, he had many questions. “Am I a dog?”</p><p>Merriell looked panicked at this. Of course he would ask something like this! Every time he tried to do something nice or even flirtatious, Eugene was still a young boy who had no idea of romance. “No no, it’s called a dog tag. I wore it in the war, it’s an identification for nurses. Don’t know why I keep wearin’ it though.” He corrected. An “ah” escaped from Eugene’s mouth. “I thought you’d like it, since you like human stuff.”</p><p>“Is it a gift?” Eugene asked as Merriell nodded in response. A smile came to his face, like a child seeing a new toy. The tears had faded into happiness. “Thank you, I don’t know what else I can give ya..”</p><p>“Whaddya mean give? Eugene, you don’t have to give anythin to me. You’ve already given me company.” The curly haired man said, a soft tone in his thick accent. Color appeared on Eugene’s face, his fingers still on the dog tag. “You bein’ here alone is a gift.” Oh god, he was rambling now. He wasn’t as subtle this time, but Eugene still didn’t get the hint. He knew he was married, but to someone he didn’t love. </p><p>“Stop it, Mer.” Eugene backed up. “It’s nice to feel warm. Outside you feel cold all the time, or scared that your life is gonna end. But here, I feel safe. So thank you.”</p><p>“No worries, Eugene. Anytime.” Merriell raised his drink.</p><p>But then the most cumbersome question hit him. “Why did you save me in the first place?”</p><p>Fuck, how could he respond? It was because you were one of the most beautiful people I had ever seen in my entire lifetime. Not to mention you appeared in my dreams and were the reason I had a will to live. Yeah, like Merriell was going to spill that to Eugene, the deer boy he was madly in love with. He formed a quick, white life. “Cause..I felt bad. You were gonna die, I couldn’t let someone die. You weren’t like the other deer I had seen. You would’ve gotten killed by an animal or just bleedin’ out, so I had to take yah.”</p><p><br/>“But…” Eugene paused, looking perplexed. Merriell didn’t fully answer his question. “Your a hunter. You’ve killed deer before. Antelope, Bison, anything that isn’t you. I’m like any other deer you’ve hunted before. When they were bleedin’ out, you let ‘em die. Why am I different?” His tone wasn’t soft, but stern. He seemed somewhat offended. </p><p>Merriell stopped, looking down. His lips moved at an attempt to say something, but silence came out of his mouth. Shit, Eugene did have a point. When he killed an animal, he really felt no emotion or guilt. He had become numb to the cries and blood. Instead of wanting to watch it bleed out, Merriell made sure it had a quick and painless death. But now, with Eugene by his side, it made it harder to kill animals. Especially Deer, which Merriell was known to hunt. Deer were quick to kill and the people of Jackson would do anything for it’s meat or antlers. </p><p>“Well..I…” The curly haired muttered. He felt the deer boy stare down at him, expecting an answer. What he could say could scare Eugene away from him. “You were just...different. Dun know how to explain it. You’re a human, but with antlers. When I looked at yah, It was killin a human…” </p><p>Eugene had his head titled as he tried to process the answer. Did Merriell see him as special? Most people would have killed him without hesitation. “So, all of those other deer you have killed weren’t special?”</p><p>“Eugene, no. Dat’s not what I’m sayin’.” The curly haired man denied, worry in his eyes. He wanted this all to be over, but he couldn’t shut up now. He shook his hands, noticing that Eugene scooted back from him. “What I’m sayin’ is that I couldn’t kill yah because..I couldn’t. You were a human, fuck! I don’t kill ‘cause I like it, I dewit ta survive.”</p><p>To say he was uncomfortable was definitely an understatement. He sat across from Merriell, who was practically begging at his point for him to listen to him. People had to do unmoral things to survive, but sitting in the same room with someone who was suppose to kill you sent shivers down Eugene’s sign. The thought would pop into his head whenever he was bored; would Merriell kill him? No, since he was keeping him in his cabin. But would he let him go?</p><p>The tension on his shoulders left, melting into the seat. He hated this conversation, it made him want to curl up into a ball and disappear. </p><p>What he learned best from his marriage is how to lie, and get away with it. </p><p>“Oh...I get it now.” Eugene agreed. He hated lying, but could his life be on the line? Deer were creatures that were known to die, according to his father. They were the weakest in the food chain; the lambs. Hunters were at the top and feared by all; the lions.  “But you won’t...kill me, right?”</p><p>Merriell hated begging, but he would for Eugene. It was noticeable and his eyes and face; the soften expression. If it was in front of anybody, he’d be the one taking the initiative. Instead of begging, he would be the one demanding. But this situation was different. </p><p>“Why would I ever do somethin’ like that? Eugene, if i brought ya’ into ma home, it’s cause yerr a guest, not some kill.” Merriell explained, “You don’t evera havta worry ‘bout this. I promise you that I will never, evera, hurt you inna million years.”</p><p>A reassuring smile appeared on Merriell’s face, followed with Eugene. He could tell the younger man was still tense, but slowly was understanding the situation. Right?</p><p>Holding out his pinkie was something he and Sid would do if they needed to hide the fact that they destroyed Sid’s sister’s doll or lit a rock on fire (by accident). That’s what little boys did. It was young of him to do, but reassuring. “Promise?” Eugene cooed, his voice soft. His pinky (and whole hand) were shaking. </p><p>Merriell’s raised an eyebrow, taken aback. He hadn’t done this in over a decade. He used to do that throughout his adolescence with his friends and sister. But then again, Eugene was a little boy trapped in a young man’s body.The older man curled his pinky around the deer boys, a smile on his face. </p><p>“Promise’s is a promise, genie.”</p><p>---</p><p>Merriell had been gone for most of the day on a hunt. He never told Eugene what he was hunting. Hunting was such an odd concept to him. He felt usually uncomfortable around Merriel, but now that uncomfort had extended. Living in the small house with a man that was supposed to kill him, somebody who possibly loved him. If Merriell loved him, why? What was so intriguing about him that Merriell was so attracted to? He was scrawny and tall, not to mention sickly looking. The thought perplexed him. </p><p>He spent his day on the couch, playing a range of records and reading all of the books Merriell had. Merriell was the last person he expected to be a reader, but he was lonely. He had a lot of time to himself. From what he understood, the older man didn’t really seem to have anybody but himself. As much as Eugene pited for him, he also began to think of the countless deer he has killed. Even though they had promised, Eugene had a tendency to overthink and get lost in his worries. Eugene could have been that one deer he killed. As the days went on, he couldn’t wait to leave to see his family. Percy was going to be there, but so was Sid and his parents.  But the question still lingered; why him? Merriell never answered it clearly. Would he ever?</p><p>Eugene saw Merriell appear from the kitchen. The room was rather dark and it was hard to see, but Merriell..didn’t seem to be himself. He usually came back into the room since right next to the record was all of the alcohol he stored. But each time he came back, he was more silent and less friendly.  At one point he had taken a whole bottle of bourbon and disappeared. Eugene didn’t bother to comment, rather lost in his thoughts. </p><p>His flannel had been unbuttoned, revealing a white shirt that was too tight for it’s town good. He stumbled a little, cursing in french. Eugene noticed and ignored it, looking down at his book. His fingers clenched at the pages, praying for all of this going away. He could smell the alcohol from a mile away. The deer boy could instantly tell that Merriell was drunk. </p><p>As Merriell poured more alcohol into his cup, there was a silence before Merriell turned to him, looking up at down. Eugene had noticed and looked up, raising an eyebrow for him to respond. He just stood there and stared at him for a minute, before he spoke. </p><p>“If you don’t love him...why dontcha just not marry him?” </p><p>Eugene sighed, trying to sound intimidating, even if he didn’t. He sounded annoyed at the answer. “I don’t have a choice, for the hundredth time.”</p><p>“But ya don’t love him, he sure as hell doesn’t love you back.” Merriell seemed taken aback by the response even if he had heard it thousands of times before. Why was he so offended? He was worried for his safety. “You don’t treat ya’ partner like a dog.”</p><p>He had enough of  Merriell’s bullshit. The older man wouldn’t understand his situation. “You don’t understand. You’ll never understand.”  Eugene stressed, trying to make it as clear as possible. The red head threw the book to the side, crossing his arms as he looked to the side.</p><p>“What do you mean, not understand? It’s not normal, Eugene. I’m worried ‘bout you goin back. What if he kills you?”  Merriell followed him around the room, trying to plead with him. The Sleeping Indian, Percy, anything could hurt Eugene. If someone even laid a finger on him, Merriell would have no problem ending their life. </p><p>“Why the hell do you care so much?” Eugene fumed and turned around to face him. “I’m a deer, Merriell. Deer are at the lowest square of the food chain. Most of us are killed not by old age, but other predators. I’m going to die anyways, I’ve always known that. Death isn’t inevitable.” </p><p>The deer boy did have a point. Hunters know that deer are some of the easiest targets on the block. When learning how to use a gun, Merriell remembers shooting at a prop deer. He remembers his first hunting kill being a deer. All Merriell wanted to was protect Eugene, not hurt him. If he was told to stop hunting, he would do it. Just for Eugene. </p><p>“Because I care about you! I don’t wanna see you get hurt!” Merriell fretted, pure fear in his voice. He was getting dramatic with his body movement. “Why can’t you tell your parents and stand up to your brother? Why are you getting married to someone who doesn’t love you?” Like me. Nobody loves you like me. </p><p>“BECAUSE I DON’T HAVE A CHOICE!” The red head yelled, pure fury in his voice. His face had turned tomato red as hot tears began to stream down his cheeks. “I’M NOT LIKE YOU! I’M NOT STRONG ENOUGH! NOBODY EVEN LISTENS TO ME! ALL OF MY LIFE I’VE BEEN TOLD WHAT TO DO! I CAN’T MAKE CHOICES ON MY OWN! I DON’T LOVE HIM, I HATE HIM! BUT MY PARENTS WON’T BELIEVE ME! I DON’T HAVE A CHOICE!” </p><p>Merriell stepped back, taken away by the way he yelled. Eugene was known to be timid, not intense. That was the loudest he had ever seen him talk, let alone talk. His breathing was heavy as he used the sleeve to wipe his tears away as his appearance became slightly disheveled. Poor, sweet, little Eugene. All Merriell wanted to do was hold him close and whisk him away from all of this pain. To make him his. Rip that engagement ring off of his finger and let people know that Eugene is his boy. His partner. His lover. </p><p>Merriell began to shake his head, muttering to the ground, “I can’t…”</p><p>“C-can’t what?” Eugene sniffled, wiping the tears from his face. </p><p>The curly haired man headed to the kitchen and then back to the living room, pacing around. Eugene followed him, begging him to answer. He was speaking French at his point, barely understanding anything. Eugene had enough of his. He grabbed Merriell’s shoulder firmly, forcing him to look at him. </p><p>“Tell me! Can’t what!” Eugene shook him, smelling the alcohol from his lips. Merriell finally realized his grip, feeling the warmth of the fireplace and Eugene’s hands on his shoulder. </p><p>“I…I” The curly haired man stuttered, looking into Eugene’s eyes. “I can’t letcha go.” </p><p>Eugene took in his response, confused at first. But he soon came to realize as he felt his heart drop. His hands slid from his shoulders, muttering “no” as he paced around the room. Was he dreaming? There was no way he couldn’t stay here with him. Was he going to be kept as a prison by the hunter? Like a farmer with a lamb. Merriell treated him like he was an animal more than a human. </p><p>Eugene could barely respond to this, sinking into the ground. He no longer forced the tears back and let them fall from his face. His face met with his knees, sobbing his heart out. What he was saying was barely audible at this point. He refused to stay. The door was right there; he could just leave this cursed place.  </p><p>As he sobbed into the floor beneath him, Eugene felt a set of hands stroking his hair. Merriell’s fingers got tangled in his hair, keeping a soft grip onto it. Then the hands moved his shoulders, pushing him up. Merriell looked at him, utterly enamored with him. He hated seeing the red head so distraught with his hair in his face and tears streaming down his cheeks. The older man moved a thumb to his eye, wiping a stray tear from his cheek. Eugene’s breathing slowed down as he did this, just sitting there. He had no power in his body to fight back as his mind raced with thoughts of him being here. Was this his home now? </p><p>“If you go out there, they’ll kill you. Those hunters will rip ‘ya to pieces. I know those hunters, they don’t like ta’ give up. They're gonna hunt yah till their last breath. That’s why you can’t leave cause they’ll kill you. They’ll search all ends of Wyoming for ya..” The curly haired man rambled, shaking. “I don’t want cha to end up like the boy I saw at the lodge. He was just like you, a human head with antlers. He had squinty eyes and curly hair, no color to his skin. He was just...dead lookin’. Like a trophy. The head hunter, Leckie, told me how he was gonna kill yah no matter what. I know this man all too well. He’s sick and will do anythin’ to get to you. That’s why you can’t leave. You gotta stay here so I can protect you from everythin’..”</p><p>Eugene could barely process this. He had so many questions. Merriell knew the people who wanted to kill him? He worked in the same pack (what he thought of them as) as them? Were these the people that approached him and Sid that fateful day? The one that shot an arrow through Eugene’s kneecap and forced him to live with Merriell, practically paralyzed? The way he described the head or whatever they called it sounded too familiar to Sid. Then it hit him; was Sid dead? His only, best friend who sacrificed his own life for him? It was all too much to handle. A pained scream escaped his mouth, frustrated and angry and sad. He had felt pain before, but never like this. Merriell sat in front of him, holding him as a way of comfort. </p><p>Merriell’s hands traveled from his shoulders and cupped his face. This sent off red flags in  Eugene’s mind as he tried to shake them off but to no avail. He kept telling him to get off, but Merriell refused to listen. The alcohol scent was strong, Merriell wasn’t thinking straight. He wasn’t himself. The curly haired man’s bodyweight pushed Eugene down as he brought his face closer, muttering under his breath. “Eugene, please. Just let me hold you close, I can treat yah better he can…” </p><p>“No! NO! GET OFF!” Eugene hissed, gently kneeing him in the stomach and shoving him backwards. He made sure not to hit him hard. It didn’t even matter considering that Eugene was a skeleton. A small ofh escaped from his lips as Merriell fell backwards. Eugene crawled back and jumped to his feet, making sure to stay away from him. He was losing his trust of Merriell, but now it was gone. </p><p>The two men looked at eachother. The only noise that was being made in the room was the fire burning and their heavy breathing. Eugene felt Merriell’s milky orbs burn into his soul, making him even more uncomfortable. The look on Merriell’s face wasn’t the Merriell he knew. He looked lost, confused on why Eugene didn’t accept his crude offer. Then Merriell proceeded to break the silence. </p><p>“Do you love me?” </p><p>Eugene looked up at his question, shocked. He raised an eyebrow in total confusion. Out of everything he could have said, and he spits out that? No wonder he did, he was drunk. But just because the hunter was drunk didn’t mean it excused his behavior. </p><p>A dry and sarcastic chuckled curled off of Eugene’s lips. “Love, you think I love you? There’s a reason you're alone. Nobody can ever love a monster like you. You're keeping me here for your own sick reasons. For your own entertainment. You're just gonna kill me, like you did with Sid. Hang my head up like a trophy.” He ranted as he sped towards the stairs. Merriell barely moved, watching him go. There was nothing he could do now. </p><p>“And no, I don’t love you. I’ll never love you. Ever.” </p><p>Eugene disappeared up the stairs and slammed the door to the guest room. Merriell never took his gaze off of him once. He watched the way his lips curled, hissing at him. How red his face got. The way he yelled at him like a banshee. It took him a few minutes to comprehend the situation, but Merriell instantly regretted everything. He felt his whole body go numb. All he did was care for Eugene. He barely knew the boy but all he wanted to do was hold him close and protect him from all of the evil in the world. His last intention was to touch and hurt him, but hug him. To hold him close and comfort him. He wasn’t keeping him as a pet, but worried for his safety. Both of the men had said it themselves; deers were the weakest in the chain. Merriell stopped hunting them since getting Eugene in his house. He changed his lifestyle just fo Eugene. </p><p>Merriell had messed up his chances with Eugene now. Eugene had said the words himself. He was an unloveable monster. He would be numb to his usually, but coming from Eugene who he deemed the love of his life, it was all over for him. He was past the point of return no. </p><p>“putain...j'ai merdé. Oh mon Dieu, non non…”  Merriell ran his hands through his hair, gripping at them. He fell to the ground, letting out a scream of frustration. He had done, he had fucked up again. Leckie was right, whatever he seemed to touch broke. Whatever he did was wrong. Merriell felt like he was a walking curse. “Il me déteste...Il me déteste…” </p><p>To cope with the pain, Merriell proceeded to drink even more. It was the only thing keeping him going. As he drowned in the alcohol, all he could think about was Eugene. Not the happy Eugene, but the teary-eyed red-faced Eugene. His face haunted his memory. He attempted to caress Eugene’s cheek and apologize, but felt thin air. It was all an illusion from the alcohol. </p><p>Eventually, Merriell dragged himself upstairs to the bedroom that the two shared. Not his, their bedroom. It was how his, seeing that Eugene was nowhere to be found. In the small cabin, Merriell knew where he would be. He walked out of the bedroom and went to the room next door. It was a spare room with a guest bed (given by Leckie) and anything that was “storage” or “useless junk”. He tried to open the door, but it was locked. The doorknob was unstable, shaking at all of the jabs and turns he made. It was easy to break off and Merriell was confident he could rip it right off. But he considered Eugene and what he had done to the deer boy, traumatized him. How were they going to have a normal conversation after this? It was not possible at all. A huff escaped from Merriell’s mouth, his fingers leaving the doorknob. </p><p>Arriving back into his bedroom, Merriell fell right on the bed. He was on the left side of the bed, Eugene’s side of the bed. The curly-haired man nuzzled his nose into the pillow, inhaling the vanilla scent of Eugene’s hair. He softly sighed, calmed by this thought. The whole side of the bed smelt of Eugene, reminded him of Eugene. All he could think about was Eugene. The nights that were sleepless in where he would stare at the sleeping and drooling Eugene. Seeing him wake up and groan, stretching his arms as his grand antlers moved around. He had adjusted to having someone else sleep with him besides Deacon. Someone else to warm the bed and comfort him. But instead of being warm and comforted, the bed was lonely and cold. Just like Merriell. Merriell fell asleep as he buried his head into the pillow, the fragment of the Eugene buried in his nose. He felt the loneliness sting his cold heart. Merriell was truly alone now. But he was all too familiar with being alone, it was his life. </p><p>What had he done? </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>1.)<br/>"putain...j'ai merdé.Oh mon Dieu, non non…" = "damn ... I fucked up. Oh my God, no no ..."</p><p>2.)<br/>"Il me déteste...Il me déteste…” = "He hates me ... He hates me ... ”</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter Five</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Eugene decides to escape, but it doesn't go unnoticed by Merriell.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hey guys, 1/3 done with the story! Sorry for the update wait, we lost power due to a storm. I promise for the next chappie to be out pretty soon. I'm trying to finish most of this before online classes start/having to go to less frequent updates. My Tumblr is neverendingstories00 if you have any questions or just wanna talk about sledgefu. Hope you enjoy this and please leave a comment ;) </p><p>WARNING: violence/gore/medical stuff ahead</p><p>-Carrie</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Eugene couldn’t stand it anymore. Being cramped inside of a tiny cabin was already hard enough, but being in a tiny room with a small window was driving him insane. The snow was even worse than last year. If Deacon (a pointer mixed with a beagle) couldn’t walk through it, then it seems that he was cramped in. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The red head could barely see out of the window. It had started the night he had locked himself in the room and it didn’t seem like it was going to stop anytime soon. He had been fortunate  to be inside since winter’s were much kinder to him than they were outside. Even if they had shelter, the wind would sound like screams and give goosebumps all over your body. But Eugene would rather have that be stuck outside then be with Merriell. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell had come the night after their fight and begged for forgiveness, but Eugene refused him. He had hit the door a few times out of frustration and left Eugene to curl up a little ball and cry. He tried to conceal this sadness, but it would occasionally escape his mouth. He could feel Merriell stand at his door, hearing him sob, but feel helpless. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Eugene hated Merriell</span>
  </em>
  <span>. What if he was the one who possibly killed Sid and he saw Eugene, taking pity on him because he was weak? His life was on the line, he simply couldn’t stay. Yes, he could have to go back and live the rest of his short, meaningless life with Percy but at least he had his parents. He had a home away from all humans. A small hope in his heart prayed that Sid was alive, which he could be. </span>
  <em>
    <span>But deer were at the bottom of the food chain, after all. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>On the third night of being stuck in the room, Eugene had made an impulsive plan to escape. Merriell had come to his door once again telling him that he was going to die in there if he didn’t eat. Eugene rather die than have to face the murderer of his friend. This caused Merriell, who was heartbroken and frustrated, to have a full blown screaming fit. He claimed that tomorrow morning he would knock down the door and drag him out if possible. Eugene tried to stay strong, but Merriell truly scared him. Even if he had lived with him for almost a month now, the curly haired man was mysterious yet capable of things beyond Eugene’s mind. Merriell had been through hell and back with the scars of his past never fading. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene paced around the room, digging through a crowded closet to find any winter supplies. He managed to find hiking boots that were too small and a jacket too big, which were going to have to work. Merriell could hear everything around the cabin, whether it be Deacon or Eugene breathing. He had to plan his escape accordingly since once he was out, he was going to have to run like hell was chasing him out. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Watching the clock and playing with the fabric of his pants, the red head was beyond anxious. It was a risky escape, he knew. His knee hadn’t fully healed, but it was going to have to work. Besides, his father could tend to it. But he couldn’t be in the same house as Merriell, the man was unwell. He had talked about how he killed in the war which had made him numb to shooting animals in general, but excluding Eugene since he was </span>
  <em>
    <span>“special”</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
  <em>
    <span>What was so special about me?</span>
  </em>
  <span> Eugene constantly thought about it. Was Merriell using him as entertainment? Merriell was so lonely and had nobody and nothing to his name. As much as he pitied him, his feelings had changed over time. His father was right; humans were selfish monsters. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>What had seemed like hours, night had finally come. Eugene heard Merriell get into bed since his room happened to be right next to his. Each night seemed to get worse for Merriell as he could twist and turn; muttering, begging, kicking, even cursing. Was it trauma from the war? Eugene didn’t care. When Merriell was in that state, </span>
  <em>
    <span>it was his time to escape.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The nightmares began, and they seemed awful. Through the thin walls, Eugene heard Merriell sleeptalk..but not begging after a few nights. His mutters became curses in a matter of seconds, saying gibberish as twisted and turned in his bed. It was too disturbing to hear his insanity unravel. Moving the chair from the door, Eugene slowly tiptoed down the wooden stairs and to the mud room. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The red head noticed Deacon sitting at the door, waiting for Merriell’s fit to be over. Deacon was one of the only good things about his stay at Merriell’s house. He was an animal like Eugene, always attacking him with kisses and love. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Bending down, Eugene pet him and planted a small kiss on his head. He knew what he was doing was selfish and stupid, but deep down he knew it was his chance at life. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, Deacon.” He hushed, holding back tears of fear and sadness. “I love you. Take care of him for me.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The pointer was confused, placing a gentle paw on Eugene’s thigh before he took it off and patted his head one last time. He had to make it quick, </span>
  <em>
    <span>it was now or never</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Removing the locks, Eugene felt the door almost slam open by the gusts of wind. It nearly threw him back as he concealed a curse by placing a hand over his mouth. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Fear overran his body as he heard creaking and noises that weren’t the wind. Deacon began to growl, letting out a protective bark. The snow was endless, but he had done it. There was no turning back now. His trail was straight ahead and over a mountain. It was no easy trek, but it had to be done. Quickly thrusting the door open, Eugene turned and closed it gently, running into the endless night. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>——</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell was not awoken by his demons, but Deacon hitting him as he barked. His nightmare had ended as he sat up in a cold sweat. The lamp on his nightstand had been knocked over by him, along with the photo of his sister and books. Deacon, seeing his panic, began to lick the hot sweat and tears on his face. But he hadn’t shaken or whimpered to this extent in forever. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“ ‘s okay boy. I’m fine.” He reassured, petting him. He held Deacon close to him but noticed that he had been shaking more than ever. The only time he ever shook like this was when he was taken away from his mother and given to Merriell. “Your shakin’ like a vibrator. What the hell happened?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Deacon jumped off of the bed, scratching at the door. Through the whimpers, he heard creaking noises coming from outside. Mentally cursing, he grabbed the gun from the side of his bed and ran to the door. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Eugene! </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene’s door had been open and he wasn’t in sight. Merriell cursed out loud. He had barely slept and now feared that Eugene had ran away due to his mistakes. He thought about it every waking second as he deeply regretted what he had done. The curly haired man was willing to do whatever it takes to make Eugene not hate him. His drinking and selfish needs had gotten to the better of him. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Growing up, his father was right. Merriell was someone with a big mouth that nobody wanted to listen to. He should’ve stayed quiet. In control. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Feeling a cold breeze, Merriell looked downstairs and saw the front door being blown open by the storm winds. He stopped in his tracks, completely horrified. Eugene had run away. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, No, Eugene! FUCK!” He cursed, running downstairs. Deacon followed him, frustrated. Eugene was in no stable condition to be running. His leg hadn’t healed and nights in Wyoming were dark and scary especially in the winter. Mountain Lions and Coyotes were not forgiving animals. He could die within the hour with his gimp leg, Eugene was a </span>
  <em>
    <span>buck </span>
  </em>
  <span>who was fragile. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Strapping on his boots and grabbing bullets for his gun, Merriell didn’t bother to throw on a jacket and let in his white wife beater. There was no time to worry about himself, he was scared for Eugene. He was beyond furious since he felt like he was dealing with a child, but no matter what Merriell was still in love with Eugene. Even after that night, the boy still haunted his dreams. Whenever the war would haunt his sleep, the redhead with pretty flowers in his hair would stroke his curls and hold him close in a lonely foxhole, whispering sweet little things into his ear. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Running out the door, Merriell grasped his rifle tightly with a face of fury. He stomped through the thick snow as Deacon lunged in front of him smelling Eugene’s tracks. The pointer found them after running ahead, sniffing. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Catching up with Deacon, Merriell held his weapon close. He was going to get his Eugene back, even if he had to </span>
  <em>
    <span>kill</span>
  </em>
  <span> for him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>——</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene was now hopelessly lost in the middle of one of the worst snowstorms he had ever experienced. The wind had knocked him over a few times, his leg felt like it was on fire, everything was going </span>
  <em>
    <span>not </span>
  </em>
  <span>according to plan. Did god want him to die? He was made so weak, what was his purpose of existing on earth if he couldn’t protect others or himself? </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His whole body ached with pain and exhaustion. The red head felt his vision blur a few times as he tumbled. His fingers were numb, and soon to be was his whole body. At this point, there seemed no point of going on. The snow was cold, but seemed refreshing. It was a better death than being eaten by selfish humans.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But what was the point of keeping him captive with a human? What was the purpose? Merriell never made it clear, but alluded that he was star struck with him. Heck, the curly haired man even confessed his love. Eugene shrugged it off as him being drunk; maybe he had lost his “wife” a few years ago and thought Eugene was like her. But It didn’t make sense since he was never married. Only thinking about Merriell added to Eugene’s stress level. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>A coyote’s howl was the last thing Eugene needed to hear.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He felt his whole stomach drop. Eugene had thought about the risks of wildlife. Within the first hour he hadn’t heard anything, until now. Looking behind him, he could smell and hear them coming his way; the Coyotes. Coyotes were one of the most unforgiving animals known to mankind and animals, his father comparing them to humans as they were selfish and impulsive. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>All they cared about was food, and that was anything that was in front of them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene began to quickly limp away before hearing them behind him. He turned and saw them, growling with hunger in their eyes. Instantly picking up the pace the limping turned into running, it didn’t matter that his leg was throbbing. Along the way Eugene had snatched up a thick branch that had fallen from the tree if he needed to use it in defense. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A coyote had been running in the tree lines and jumped on his shoulder; it’s claws digging into his shoulder. Eugene screamed in pain as he tumbled down, now wrestling with the coyote. The coyote had pure hate in his eyes as it squirmed and drooled all over his face. As much as he wanted to give up in die, he couldn’t. Death was scary and it was coming too young; </span>
  <em>
    <span>he had to fight. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The twig had been pushed to the side, but not his antlers. Jerking his head, Eugene used the antlers to impale the coyote and throw it out the side. It was too quick to remember the events; all he hear was the coyote’s winces and thud to the ground before he was running again. The wild animals were already hungry before chasing Eugene, but even more bloodthirsty for the deer boy’s blood after they killed their alpha. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As Eugene looked back at them, cursing, he didn’t notice the steep hill. He tripped and slid down the hill, rolling like a wrecking fall. It was sudden and painful with twigs and rocks bruising and cutting his body. The redhead meet with a face full of snow as his body ached with a pain he had never felt before. It was a burning sensation from the thick (now ripped) layers and fresh blood oozing from his cuts with an odd ringing noise in his ear.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> With the power in his body, Eugene turned over and knew that it was over. Hearing the growls and feeling the saliva drip all over his body was bloodcurdling. He shut his eyes and held back a whimper, watching his life flash through his eyes. In his final moments he wanted to attempt to not act like a boy, </span>
  <em>
    <span>but a man</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Out of all of the ways he could die, this was the way he went? It was shocking, considering how climatic it was. But there was no going back now. All Merriell was going to find was his body covered in ice. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A gunshot woke him from his trace. He opened his eyes as he was alerted by the loud noise. The wolf smelling his body fell to the ground, staining the white with a splatter of red. All of the wolves backed up, growling at this new foe. Eugene moved his head up as his eyes widened.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>It was Merriell.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But it wasn’t a Merriell he was familiar with. It wasn’t the seemingly depressed or cocky man he knew all too well. His ebony curls disheveled, gritted teeth, and hell in his eyes. At first Eugene had blindly thought it was at him, but it was at the coyotes. Merriell stood over him with a gun in hand; his finger fidgeting with the trigger. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Walking in front of him, Merriell placed a hand on his shoulder. Alarms went off on Eugene’s body, stammering at what to say.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Go. Run.” Merriell growled, squeezing his shoulder. He didn’t care if Eugene had run away now. Seeing that he was hurt only made his blood boil. Eugene was innocent and didn’t deserve any of the pain. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Suddenly, a coyote charged at Merriell, knocking him to the ground. No longer did the wolves focus on Eugene, but now Merriell as they killed the omega of the pack. But Merriell was “</span>
  <em>
    <span>strong</span>
  </em>
  <span>” unlike Eugene. He simply kicked it to the side and shot it in his throat, ending it’s life. The blood splattered all over Merriell’s face and white beater, but he didn’t care. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t stand ‘round like issa party, fuckers!” He barked, pointing his rifle at the three remaining wolves. The wolf had left a nasty scratch on his collarbone, but it didn’t matter. Anger fuelled through his system as he was fighting for the love of his life. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>One of them had disappeared, now leaving two. Saliva dropped from their mouths as they looked at Merriell as dinner. They circled around him, growling and huffing as they planned to charge him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shooting one of them wasn’t simply enjoying. Merriell watched it fall backwards but was attacked by the two remaining wolves which got him from both sides. As he wrestled with the front wolf, he felt sharp teeth sink into his hip. Letting out a scream, the curly haired man fell backwards as his rifle slid over to Eugene. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Seeing Merriell in trouble, Eugene grabbed the rifle and placed it on his shoulder. He couldn’t let Merriell die as he had protected him. The redhead had little to no idea how to use a rifle except from the books and notebooks Merriell owned about guns. All he remembered was </span>
  <em>
    <span>aim for where you are shooting, not the target</span>
  </em>
  <span>. His finger curved around the trigger as he shut one eye, aiming for the top wolf. Exhaling, his finger let go off the trigger. The wolf on top of Merriell shot backwards with the one biting his side now charging at an unprepared Eugene. The wolf’s neck was taken out by Deacon who wrestled in down as he watched it fight until the wolf’s dying breath. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene looked down at the rifle in total shock. He had shot with the weapon that killed his family and friends. His hands felt numb as he threw the weapon to the ground, on the verge of a panic attack. </span>
  <em>
    <span>What had he done? </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell has pushed himself up, beaten up the attack. His body was covered in claw marks with his hip being bitten. His milky orbs looked over at Eugene, who was in shock. He was injured himself, but alive. All Merriell wanted was Eugene alive. He wouldn’t live with himself knowing that he let someone he loved die. Eugene looked up at Merriell, making eye contact. Merriell’s eyes were soulless as he looked at him, blood oozing from the bite. His vision blurred as Merriell had given into exhaustion and fell into the snow. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene gasped, startled at Merriell’s fall. His hands pushed him up as he turned around just wanting to walk away from this nightmare. The dead bodies in the snow, the blood, Merriell; it was all too much. But what had stopped him was Merriell. The fact that Merriell had gone through all of this trouble to save Eugene, the man he loved, from harm. Merriell was willing to kill for him. </span>
  <em>
    <span>To die for him. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Percy would have never done something like that for him since he only cared for his body. Merriell, no matter how insane or scary he was to Eugene, went through hell to save Eugene. The night when Merriell was drunk and asked if he had loved him wasn’t a sick joke, but genuine. Merriell cared for Eugene more than everything in the world. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Merriell was in love with Eugene. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene felt his cheeks burn at this. He snapped out of his trace when he felt Deacon bark and hit his shins. Turning over, the pointer ran over to Merriell, licking his face to wake him up. Eugene followed and bent down, taking off his coat and placing it on Merriell. He could hear the heavy breaths and light heartbeat. Merriell was trying to survive, but would succumb from blood loss if he wasn’t treated. Eugene wasn’t a doctor but had watched his father heal the worst of wounds. </span>
  <em>
    <span>He needed to repay Merriell somehow. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene turned his body over and threw up onto his back, piggyback style. He trembled at how much Merriell weighed despite his lean form, but felt a strong pair of arms fall on his chest and his nose in his hair. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’re going back. You're gonna be ok.” Eugene reassured, holding his legs up. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell, too weak to say anything, groaned in response. Everything was hurting. But feeling Eugene’s body warmth had made everything better. Knowing that Eugene was okay made Merriell content. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene saw Merriell’s footsteps in the snow and began to follow them. Deacon had speed ahead of them, leading the way as he protected them from harm. Both of them were in pain, but Eugene was determined to make sure Merriell lived. </span>
  <em>
    <span>No matter what. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>——</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell’s wound was much worse than Eugene had expected it to be. His bite mark was big and deep. The trek back to the cabin took an hour due to the storm, which wasn’t helping the situation. But Eugene managed to set Merriell on the kitchen table with the first aid kit. Cleaning the wound and applying pressure was difficult since Merriell would scream and fidget at anything, but he got through it. The blood was everywhere; Eugene’s hands, Merriell’s whole body, Deacon, and the kitchen was a murder scene. He eventually moved Merriell to the couch and placed a blanket over him as he proceeded to clean all of the blood and broken glass. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A few hours had passed and Eugene had fallen asleep at the counter. The pain still ached his whole body. Merriell had been moaning and Eugene walked in. Merriell was disoriented and looked at him with a “what happened?” glare. His pants were low rise with a trail of black hair going down his navel. Both of them felt awkward since they hadn’t properly talked to each other since that night. Blood stained the bandage around Merriell’s hip, which wasn’t a good sign. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I have to change your bandage.” Eugene broke the silence, pointing at his hip. He turned around to get the med kit. Merriell looked down and raised his eyebrows. How did he do that? Eugene had lived in the woods his whole life. It seemed like a weird, drunken dream. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How’d yah do dis?” Merriell looked down, poking and hissing at the pain. Whenever he adjusted or even breathed a rush of pain climbed through his body. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene sat down and moved his hand away from the bandage. He used small scissors to cut the badnage open, seeing the small bleeding. “My dad was a healer in our pack, I watched him when I was younger. You have some bleeding that I’m going to have to clean. It might sting.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>No matter what Eugene said, he still had no idea what he was doing. It was a miracle that Merriell had survived the night. Grabbing a cotton pad and alcohol, Eugene prepared it and gently placed it onto the wound. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His whole lower body felt like it was on fire. Merriell jumped as his fingers grasped onto the seat, cursing in french. “Fuckin’ Hell! ‘Dat stings!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“If you hold still,” Eugene back away, slightly fed up. He was exhausted and just in much pain as Merriell was. “It won’t hurt as much then.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“If you hadn’t run away in ‘da middle of ‘da night this wouldn’t ‘ave ‘appened. Nights in Wyomin’ are full of surprises and you could ha-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene interrupted him, offended and irritated, “If you hadn’t frightened me and forced to keep me here, then I wouldn’t have run away.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You should think about what you do next time,” Merriell warned, sounding hesitant in his voice. “You really could have hurt yourself.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene crossed his arms, looking away. “Then maybe you should </span>
  <em>
    <span>control yourself</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It hit Merriell right where it hurt. He was beyond offended and even embarrassed. He opened his mouth, thinking of a response. But in all fairness, Eugene had a point. Merriell did scare the living shit of him and it didn’t help that they were both on edge. What Merriell did was wrong, and he regretted it more than anything else. Like everything he did or touched, it broke. Merriell fully believed that he was cursed. Nothing </span>
  <em>
    <span>ever </span>
  </em>
  <span>went well for him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eventually Eugene resumed fixing his wound in silence. Merriell would look away and hold back pained grunts. The few glances he got of Eugene were that he was covered in little cuts and developing bruises with his clothes torn and hair messed up. He stood up to go get tape to secure the badnage. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“By the way, thank you,” Eugene stated, voice cracking as he walked back to tape up the bandage. He refused to look up Eugene, not feeling too great about himself either. “For saving my life. I’m sorry.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell raised an eyebrow and softened his face, looking down at Eugene. He mustered up the courage to respond, “Your welcome...” He squinted his eyes and looked at Eugene’s shoulder, seeing a nasty scratch. His fingers heistated, but gently finessed the fresh cuts. “Your hurt, Gene. Sit down, i’ll take care of it.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene didn’t respond and looked back at him. He pushed himself up and silently winced at moving his shoulders, sitting down by the fireplace and taking off his shirt. His shoulders didn’t tense up at the touch, but softened at them. Merriell had calloused, rough hands that were an odd sensation on Eugene’s skin. He had gone over to get the med kit and returned, kneeling behind Eugene to clean the wound. It was a silent tension between the two before Merriell had broken it.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“Listen, Eugene you shouldn’t be sorry, I should,” He said, seeing Eugene’s head turn sideways. “That night, I wasn’t myself. I had let myself go and drank since it...just erased all of the pain. When I drink, everythin’ goes away. I know it ain’t good, but I’ve been doin’ it for years. When you have nobody but yourself, it goes lonely and depressin’. You lose yourself and get angry at everyone ‘round you, and dats what I did. You can think imma monster for everythin’ that I;ve done to you and yer people, but please, hear me out. When I climbed on you and said all of those things, I didn’t mean it. I don’t know what happened, the alcohol was controllin’ ma mind. Reason I said them was cause I was thinkin’ about you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene had turned around, now fully listening. He seemed confused, but interested in hearing his side of the story. Merriell still kept at cleaning his wound, preparing to bandage it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“When you first came along, I was confused and scared like you. I didn’t have anybody else to take care off but myself. But when you came along, it made my life better. Made it worth living. You were like sunshine in a bad storm for me. Having company around for the first time in a while felt amazin’. Having someone to talk with, cook with, to do anythin really with. I know it’s weird to say, but..I care about you Eugene. When you told me ‘bout Percy, I worried ‘bout you. You deserve nothing but the best. I don’t wanna see ya’ get hurt for no good reason, or end up dead. You so young and I don’t want you to make poor choices that will make ya life miserable. With the hunters surroundin’ the area cause of your people, it was stressful. I’ve got them on ma tail since I don’t wanna hunt since your changing me, and I think for tha better…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Changing you?” Eugene perplexed, his cheeks showing color. Was it a compliment? </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Eugene, your making me a better person. I don’t know what it is bout you, but there’s something special. Your such a good person and I’m nothin’ like ya. You think I’m a monster and you have every right to, but just please,” Merriell finished the wound and patted his back, causing Eugene to fully turn over. “Forgive me. For everythin’. I wanna start fresh n’ make things right between us. I’ll let you go and be your own person once spring comes, but I want you to be happy. I…”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>Eugene had tears falling out of his eyes. He began to wipe them, but they kept falling. His lips began to quiver. Merriell had took his full and let out his heart in front of him. The man was so broken and hurt and saw Eugene like his saving angel. He felt horrible for being so blind to the fact that he was the reason why Merriell was so happy; because he had someone to share his time with. </span>
  <em>
    <span>That person was him</span>
  </em>
  <span>. There was a possibility that Merriell thought of him as more than a friend, but it didn’t matter at the moment. Merriell truly cared about him more than anything in the world, even risking his life to save Eugene. Merriell was truly a good person.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I never knew ‘bout this. Merriell, I’m so sorry. I ran away because of my selfish needs. I’m so sor-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene felt two hands wrap around his lower body and bring him close. One hand rested on his lower waist and the other his nape. Merriell held him tight and close. His touch wasn’t needy, but comforting. Eugene hadn’t ever felt this with Percy or his parents; he had never felt safe until now. Sobs began to escape Eugene’s mouth as he sobbed into Merriell’s shoulder. Merriell’s fingers drew figures on his back as his hands stroked his soft hair. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t apologize, </span>
  <em>
    <span>ever</span>
  </em>
  <span>. You got nothin’ ta be sorry ‘bout.” Merriell comforted as he whispered it into his ear. “Just promise me, you’ll stay for the winter. You can leave and see your family again, but for now, I just need you here with me. I can protect you. We can have a fresh start, and everything does back to normal between us.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene nodded his head, sniffling. Merriell hated seeing him so bad. He lifted up his chin and began to whip the large tears from his face. Eugene allowed him to do so. Percy would have never done something such as this to him. Merriell truly did care about him and he was blind to it. He felt terrible, but he had to leave it in the past. Merriell’s touch had felt so nice after a long and stressful few hours. He recognized his mistakes and apologized, begging for things to be normal.</span>
  <em>
    <span> Eugene wanted nothing more than that. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Since both of the men were in pain, Merriell decided to make tea for the two. It would help them fall asleep and relieve their aching pain. Limping from the kitchen, he noticed the red head curled by the fire, sleeping peacefully. A small smile appeared on Merriell’s face as he put the teas down to grab a blanket to wrap it around Eugene’s body. He tried to move his head onto a pillow but Eugene’s head ended up on his lap. Merriell sat hunched by the burning fire, stroking Eugene’s red hair. His auburn locks reminded the curly haired man of the blazing fire. </span>
  <em>
    <span>They were both gorgeous</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene mumbled in his sleep, which Merriell awed at. Anything Eugene did was simply adorable to him. Their future looked rocky, but it was changing for the better. He couldn’t believe that after all that happened, Eugene had let him </span>
  <em>
    <span>hug </span>
  </em>
  <span>him. Eugene didn’t tense, but felt comforted by his hold, and so did Merriell. He knew that when the flowers began to bloom, Eugene would go back home. As much as he greedily wanted to keep Eugene to himself, he knew that Eugene was a man. A man who could make his own choices. After all, Eugene wasn’t his. It was going to break his heart to be lonely again, but Merriell tried to look at the positive. There was a chance that Eugene could be slowly falling in love with him. He didn’t want to get his hopes up high, but there was a light shining. Merriell’s only wish in the world has to have somebody to love. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But for now, he was happy with Eugene’s head in his lap, safe </span>
  <em>
    <span>together</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-----</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wilbur couldn’t stand the howling coming from his cabin. He had groggily gotten up to stop the commotion, but nearly shit his pants. It was that redhead with antlers, running for dear life. It turned out there were more of the red head’s; </span>
  <em>
    <span>humans with antlers.</span>
  </em>
  <span> In the past month, they had encountered two other deer humans, they killed one and kept the other inside of the lodge’s cellar. Leckie made orders not to kill the deer boy with a mouth and squinty blue orbs no matter how annoying he had been. But if any of them saw the red head, he was to be kept alive and not killed. It was physically impossible to bring the other deer boy over. Once deers saw humans, they ran away and were never be seen again. Not this one. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hearing distance yelling and barking, Wilbur naturally followed it. He spotted Deacon running at full speed as he followed </span>
  <em>
    <span>human</span>
  </em>
  <span> foot tracks. Merriell followed along with his rifle in hand, yelling </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Eugene!</span>
  </em>
  <span>” and telling him to come back. It confused him since Merriell was a loner who had nobody else besides a dog. Wilbur tried to follow but lost the tracks due to the storm. He eventually gave up since Leckie wasn’t there to scold him for it. What was so special about a human with antlers?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Until he saw the so-called deer boy, carrying Merriell as Deacon led the way. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leckie was going to have a cow. </span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter Six</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Eugene and Merriell make amends. Meanwhile, Eugene struggles with his feelings for Merriell. A mysterious man appears at Merriell's doorstep.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Boy oh Boy, I'm back on track! I'm trying to get the next two chapters out as soon as possible since school starts in the next 2-3 weeks. Wild how the months are going by. Updates might start to slow down soon, but I promise you guys that I will write my darn heart out! Prepare for some fluffy content and (finally) action after 30k+ words. XD</p><p>Oh! And some mystery as well! *wink wink*</p><p>Also if you could leave a comment, I'd really appreciate it. Reading them truly makes my day. Thank you and hope you enjoy! :)</p><p>-Carrie</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Ever since that night, things had gotten progressively better between Eugene and Merriell. They sat in front of that fireplace for hours letting out all of their emotions. The two men held nothing back from each other and were completely honest, </span>
  <em>
    <span>for the most part</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Even if everything had been cleared up, Merriell never brought up the fact that he asked if Eugene loved him. It was almost too embarrassing to ask. Over the years, Merriell had grown selfish and angry at the world. Nothing had ever gone right for him and his life had seemingly gotten worse over the years. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>That was until Eugene had stumbled into his life. The boy with the antlers. The boy from his goddamn dreams. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>At first, Eugene seemed innocent and sensitive, but that had changed. The more he began to recover, the more Eugene became confident and witty. When they let out their feelings, Eugene didn’t cry once and told Merriell everything he felt. How he felt uncomfortable with the taxidermy, his drinking habits, everything that Merriell didn’t want to hear. He hated admitting that he was wrong and being </span>
  <em>
    <span>scolded</span>
  </em>
  <span> like he was a child in timeout. Normally he would’ve told the person to fuck off and all kinds of insults, </span>
  <em>
    <span>but it was Eugene</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Eugene wasn’t like everyone else. He wasn’t acting like a little boy, but a man. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They came to a simple agreement. For the next five months, Eugene will stay and recover. If hunting season dies down, then he can leave in early May when the flowers begin to blossom. But if it’s not safe, then the latest he will leave is in July. Merriell vowed to limit his heavy drinking and smoking since Eugene didn’t want him to die. Eugene's words still ringed through his head. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“My father taught me that drinking and smoking kills your body. I don’t wanna even know what your lungs look like.” Eugene ranted, looking to the side. He looked at Deacon as he sat there with a playful smile on his face. He turned over to Merriell, a serious look on his face. “I don’t want to see you hurt yourself. Your killin’ yourself.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Merriell scoffed, “Nobody cares about me. Why do you care so much?”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Because you saved me! You could have left me for dead and let me bleed out or get eaten alive, but you didn’t.” Eugene spat, raising his voice, He sighed, pushing his auburn locks out of his face. “You care about me. You don’t wanna admit it, but you do.” </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>The curly haired man raised a brow and looked away, crossing his arms. He felt his cheeks burn up; feeling annoyed. Seeing Eugene expose him made him feel embarrassed.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Listen Merriell, I care about you. I do.” Eugene crawled near him, trying to get his attention. Merriell eventually gave into Eugene, turning towards him and lowering his arms. “I’m not trying to control your life. But please limit your drinking and smoking, for yourself. I don’t want you to die.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Hearing the word care made Merriell almost faint. Nobody had said that to him in a decade. He tried thinking back to a time where his life was simpler and not full of pain, but he couldn't think or process the thought of someone caring about him. The thought danced in his head, making his cheeks burn. A small smile crept on his face as he laid in bed looking at the dark ceiling. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>He cares for me. He actually cares about me. He doesn’t want me to die. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He cursed at himself for having such a weak response which was a head nod and pat on Eugene’s shoulder. He promised to stop his drinking and smoking, but he wasn’t sure about the smoking. </span>
  <em>
    <span>But for Eugene, he’d do anything for him</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Eugene was like a god in his eyes that he would do anything for. Merriell had never seen someone so ethereal in his life. In his thirty years of sleeping around and fucking whoever he plessed, there was none like Eugene. Of course it had been on Eugene’s bad shoulder and earned him a small whimper. Merriell felt all kinds of horrible but Eugene reassured him, saying it was ok. The boy's knee was infected and his shoulder scarred. It made Merriell’s whole body tense up; seeing the red head hurt. Merriell turned his head and saw Eugene beside him. His back was turned the other way, showing all of the bandages and cuts all over his skin. His back slowly moved as he breathed with little mumbles coming out of his mouth. If he had his way, Merriell would kiss every single one of them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But, he couldn’t. Eugene and him were strictly friends. As much as it shattered Merriell’s heart, Eugene was going to be married, whether Merriell liked it or not. That’s how it was always going to be. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With the time he had left, Merriell was going to take advantage of not being a depressed alcoholic.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>-----</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene had never felt so conflicted ever in his life. He was feeling emotions that he had never felt in his nineteen years. Merriell was no doubt one of the strangest people he had met. He was the first human that Eugene had a positive experience with. He was not only different for his bug eyes and bronze skin, but that he was a hunter. His job was to kill him, yet he didn’t. At this point Eugene didn’t even want to think about why he was spared, he was glad he was alive. What he had never noticed was that Merriell cared about him enough to risk his own life. Of course Sid would, but a human? Humans were selfish killers, but Eugene started to think otherwise.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Whenever he looked at Merriell, Eugene felt his whole body go numb. His arms and legs felt like noodles as his heart rate increased; his cheeks burning. Eugene could barely look into his eyes as he was sure he could get lost in them. He began to notice the way Merriell played with the scabs on his calloused hands and the wrinkles that appeared whenever he smiled or laughed. His curls were usually tamed but were growing long and unruly. Instead of feeling uncomfortable, Eugene felt </span>
  <em>
    <span>safe </span>
  </em>
  <span>around Merriell. It was a warm feeling, but also terrifying. Eugene never had ever felt his way about anybody in his life. Talking to someone who was polar opposite (and a decade older) about anything and everything for hours on end was everything to Eugene. Growing up his only friend ever was Sid, and they were </span>
  <em>
    <span>inseparable</span>
  </em>
  <span>. But that’s where Eugene halted and felt those conflicted emotions. Not once did he ever notice every little detail and have Sid stalk his thoughts. No, Merriell was different. He thought of Merriell as more of a friend. Then it had hit him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Was he in love with Merriell? </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene kept pushing those feelings away but it always came back to haunt him. Everyday they were trapped in that cabin together, their bond grew stronger. Eugene </span>
  <em>
    <span>hated </span>
  </em>
  <span>whenever Merriell would leave and go on a hunt. Not only because he was lonely, but he missed him more than anything. He missed his face, eyes, cocky personality, accent, everything. Although the ring on his finger said he was engaged to Percy, he would argue otherwise. The way he felt about Merriell, he never felt with Percy. It only meant one thing.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Damnit, he was in love with Merriell. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell patted his knee, knocking him out of his trance. “It looks pretty good ta me. I think I’ll stop wrappin’ it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene shook his head and looked down at his knee. There was no way he could look at Merriell without freaking out. It had been a month since the injury and it was slowly recovering. The bruising and swelling had gone away but a scar was slowly developing; twisting his skin and leaving unhealed scratch marks. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” He murmured, twisting his leg to see both sides of the scar. “It does…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell raised an eyebrow, looking down at Eugene. Ever since the conversation that night, Eugene began to act odd. He already acted in a peculiar way, but he became more flustered and clingy. Not that Merriell was complaining. “Everything okay, Gene?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene began to mentally curse, looking up with a subtle smile. Merriell let out his hand and Eugene grabbed it. Merriell wrapped a small hand around Eugene’s lower back and holstered him up. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Great! Now he was becoming a blushing mess. </span>
  </em>
  <span>“Yeah, why ask?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“ ‘dun know. You seem a lil’...distracted.” Merriell held his hand, his thumb caressing the inner part of Eugene’s hand.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene shook his head, removing his hand. “I’m fine, really. It’s just about…” He hated lying, but it had to be done. “My mom’s birthday was yesterday.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>An oh escaped from Merriell’s mouth. He knew how close he was with his family. Although he had never felt love for his family, he wanted to be as supportive as possible. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, I didn’t know.” Merriell said. His hand reached for Eugene but stopped. He cleared his throat, trying to keep Eugene happy. “Well, you’ll see her soon. No matter what. And Sid as well.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene smiled at hearing Sid’s name. He could imagine feeling there warmth around his body. His mother would be crying and Sid would be asking him thousands of questions about humans. He could never tell them about Merriell. This only option was to lie. But how would he do that? </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He didn’t wanna worry about that. All he wanted to worry about was Merriell. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>----</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tree decorating reminded Eugene of home. The smell of a scot’s pine tree brought serotonin through his body. He never cared so much for gifts, December was a magical month. The snow, the trees, the food, it was perfect. As much as he wished his family and Sid were with him, Merriell made it as fun as possible. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell hadn’t celebrated Christmas in a long time. He would put up a tree, but there was no magic in celebrating Christmas alone. All he would do on the holiday was drink until he fell asleep. Deciding to skip on </span>
  <em>
    <span>The Sleeping Indian’s </span>
  </em>
  <span>holiday party, Merriell devoted his time to making sure Eugene had one of the best Christmas ever. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>December flew by and it was Christmas Eve. Merriell and Eugene had spent a full day of gingerbread house decorating, snow shoeing, and trying eggnog, Eugene’s reaction to eggnog was hilarious. Merriell, of course, snuck a dose of cognac into it and resulted in Eugene spitting it out. But Eugene wouldn’t go down so easily. While snowshoeing through the woods, Deacon and Eugene assaulted Merriell with snowballs. It resulted in a full blown snow ball fight. It was adorable seeing Eugene being so playful, snorting and throwing huge chunks of snow at Merriell. Merriell was enamored with Eugene’s smile and small little snorts. He couldn’t stay mad at Eugene. Merriell had gone a full week sober, which was a new record. There was no point in getting lost in alcohol when he had the deer boy around.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After they got home from there “</span>
  <em>
    <span>epic</span>
  </em>
  <span>” battle, the two men freshened up with new clothes and warm showers. Eugene decided to start a fire while Merriell made them both peppermint tea. He would have normally made a dry martini, but he had no real desire to drink. As he brought out the drinks, he nearly dropped them. Not in fear, but in awe. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene looked up sat him like a deer in headlights. Colorful wire lights decorated his regal antlers. They twisted on the bottom and hung on the top. “I-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell interrupted him, settling the teas on the coffee table. He looked adorable with a shocked face and lights on his antlers. It was getting impossible to resist Eugene.  “Ya’ fine, Eugene. I like ‘em. Where’d yah fine those?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“In this box,” Eugene explained, grabbing it. It was all of the christmas tree decorations, covered in dust. Merriell hadn’t touched that box in years. He bent over to look inside of it. It wasn’t much. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“These old things, shit.” Merriell chuckled and took a dusty world globe out. “Haven’t used these in years. You up for some tree decoration?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene’s eyes glew up at the response. “Wait, really?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell saw it, a childish smile appearing on his face. Seeing Eugene happy made him over the moon. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Course. I know it’s notta lot, but It be nice.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell and Eugene began to dust off the decorations and decorate the tree. Most of them were red balls, angels, and little stars. He could see the pure joy in his face as Eugene stood on his toes and placed all of the little globes. He would ask about the french sayings and Merriell would happily explain it to him. Hearing the small “oh’s” and “ah’s” come from Eugene’s mouth made Merriell weak. He had lost his humanity and emotions over the years, but he was gaining them back. </span>
  <em>
    <span>The small amount of humanity he had left was from Eugene. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Wrapping the wire lights around, Merriell and Eugene stood back to look at the tree. It was simplistic but beautiful. It added color and joy, like Eugene, into the gloomy cabin. The tree reminded Merriell of simpler times in his life. All that was left was a silver topper of an angel. It was sentimental to Eugene; his sister had made it out of scrap metal. It was one of the only things he had left of her. Walking up to the tree, Merriell stood on his toes and reached with his arms. A small chuckle escaped his lips, assuring Eugene that he could do this. He kept reaching and even jumping on, but there was no use in it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Suddenly, he felt two hands at his waist and lifted him up. Merriell squirmed and threw the topper up before being put back down. Turning around, he saw the red head and felt his cheeks burn up.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I thought you needed help, so I lifted you…” Eugene said, feeling his cheeks burn as well. He was only trying to help. “You were struggling to reach the top.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell’s whole face was red. He stepped back, wiping the pine from his pants. “Thanks, but I wasn’t strugglin.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But you couldn’t even reach the middle of the tree…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ok, Mr. five’eleven.” Merriell pouted, crossing his arms. Eugene looked down and rubbed his arm, now feeling bad. When Merriell saw this, he cursed. It’s not like he didn’t enjoy Eugene’s touch, but he hated being vulnerable. He hadn’t let himself fall so easily in front of someone. But in front of someone who doesn’t love him back it was different. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Listen, thank you.” He reassured me. “But, i’m not small.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugenee raised a small eyebrow, looking down at him. He was a solid three inches taller than Merriell. “You sure?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell playfully rolled his eyes and grabbed the tea’s, handing one to Eugene. Eugene thanked him as he plopped next to the fireplace, watching the fire burn. He had never seen such a grander fire. His family would do fires for warm, but it was never big and usually blew out. Seeing the flames rise into the air; the little ambers float out and sting on his hand. He had also never felt so warm in his life. In the little cabin, he felt safe and sound.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The curly haired man sat across from Eugene, holding a small box in his hands. Eugene looked at it, a face of worry. “Oh, my gift. Here let m-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Just as he was getting up, Merriell’s calloused hand grabbed his shoulder gently and pushed him back down. “No, I insist. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Please</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His hand gently squeezed his shoulder before trailing down. Eugene felt his cheeks burn up with that god awful numb feeling. He hated feeling love. It was so alien to him and he didn’t know how to handle it. He sat back down and felt a small box placed into his hand. It was a small, wrapped in a red Santa Claus paper. Eugene gently shook it, feeling nothing. Unwrapping it carefully, he took off the cover. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was a hawkbill pipe, the one that his father used to smoke. Eugene began to smoke when he was around fifteen. His father introduced him and Sid to cigars. Sid ate them up, but Eugene thought of them as being nasty. His father decided to let him try using a pipe, which he loved. It was a certain type of pipe his father would let him smoke. While he smoked a billard, Eugene liked the curve of the hawkbill since it reminded him of a straw. A small smile appeared on his face as Eugne admired the pipe.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Mer, this is...amazing. Thank you…” Eugene thanked him, a smile on his face as he admired the pipe. Merriell rested his chin on his palm as Eugene admired the pipe. It was a big childish smile, Merriell’s favorites. “How did you know?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Merriell chuckled, “You tol’ me ‘bout yer daddy smokin’ from da pipes, and you only liked the hawkbill’s..”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Because they remind you of a straw..” Merriell flowed right into his words. They both looked up at each other, awkward as chuckles escaped from their mouths. Merriell truly cared about him. Percy never did anything for him, especially this. He felt like Merriell was spoiling him way too much. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thank you so much, Merriell. I don’t know how I can repay you.” He looked up at Merriell, a true smile on his face. He noticed Merriell’s cheeks were red as well, a smile on his face. It was like Merriell was almost </span>
  <em>
    <span>admiring</span>
  </em>
  <span> him. “No one’s ever been this kind to me.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell didn’t respond and kept looking at him, murmuring french under his breath. There was a smile on his face as well. The only noise that was being made was the logs burning in the fireplace. Eugene felt the warmth of his cheeks and fire up against him. He and Merriell sat only a foot away from each other; their faces close again. Eugene use to be scared of Merriell’s since he had never met a human (that he had a good ecnotucer with). But Eugene wasn’t so scared of Merriell anymore. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Eugene was in love with Merriell. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene crawled over to him and smashed his lips into his. Eugene had never kissed someone in his life so Merriell was his very first. He felt Merriell fall back a little before he grabbed the back of his nape for support. Eugene’s hand trailed cupped Merriell’s cheek, feeling his surprisingly soft and warm skin. The older man put his free hand over Eugenes, squeezing it. It started as harsh, but with Merriell’s guidance, it was slow and passionate. The red head never wanted to let go of Merriell’s lips. Merriell and Eugene, no matter the age difference, were both touch starved. Merriell hadn’t touched someone in years while Eugene hadn’t ever touched at all. Eugene’s lips parted from Merriell as he looked down, his forehead touched Merriell’s, He felt his hand on the back of his nape playing with the back hairs. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I-I’m...so sorry. Fuck!” Eugene cursed, panting as he looked down. He was so angry with himself. The kiss had felt amazing. He tried to turn his head sideways, but Merriell made sure his head stayed centered. “Oh god, I’m married. I can’t do this. I’m a deer, your human. You're supposed to kill me. I can’t be doing this. I’m so s-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene felt two hands cup around his cheeks, tilting his head upwards. His hazel orbs met with Merriell’s milky ones. There was a smile on his face. Not forced or fake, but genuine. Merriell was genuinely happy. One of the hands that cupped his face took his left hand, taking the engagement ring off of his hand and placing in on the coffee table. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene began to blush, stammering, “M-Mer!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He dun’ treat yah like I do.” Merriell growled, sounding defensive. This was a side of Merriell that Eugene had never seen. He wasn’t angry, but protective. Eugene didn’t want to admit that he liked his side of Merriell.</span>
  <em>
    <span> His devilish side</span>
  </em>
  <span>. The side that would risk his own life for him. He loved the attention that he was never shown. Eugene felt Merriell’s lips smash back into his; more tongue and teeth. Merriell knew that it was his first kiss and wanted to be as tender, but he couldn’t resist. Eugene gently fell down as Merriell topped in, there handles exploring each others bodies as they lips smashed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell’s dreams had come to life. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-----</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell carried Eugene up to the bed, kissing his temple. Eugene had his back against the older man, looking at the blizzard outside of the window. He couldn’t sleep as his thoughts were racing. He began to question whether it was a dream or not. Everything was happening at once. He felt happy, confused, and sad all at the same time. As much as he was a rule follower, he liked bending the rules with Merriell. It wasn’t like his parents were there to scold him. He was not a boy, but a man. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene fell back into reality as he felt Merriell turn over and breathe on his neck. His hand snaked over to his free hand and grasped onto it, squeezing it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ya freezin’,'' He cooed into his ear, leaving a small kiss on it. He trailed kisses down his neck and on the scar forming on his shoulder. Eugene squirmed at them, his cheeks burning up. He eventually relaxed from his excitement, curling into Merriell. He was like his personal body heater. From what Eugene had seen of Merriell, he had a gruff exterior and seemed to be a walking cloud of thunder. But underneath it all, Merriell wasn’t a monster. He was just </span>
  <em>
    <span>lonely. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Unlike Eugene, he had family and friends that cared for him. It seemed that Merriell had himself. No family, no friends, nothing to look forward to. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene turned his head over to Merriell and gazed into his eyes. There’s noses touched as the only noise in the room was there breathing and the snow hitting against the window. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I think I love you..” Eugene spat on, completely random. Merriell looked at him and widened his eyes, his cheeks becoming fuschia. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Nobody had ever said that to Merriell. Not once in a hookup or from his family. The only person he can think that would ever say that was his little sister. Merriell had lived for thirty years and never had someone love him, until now. Now he laid in a bed, holding a deer boy who was a whole decade younger close to him, confessing he was in love. Eugene was absolutely clueless about love and relationships, and so was Merriell. All Merriell saw in relationships was sex. But with Eugene, it was different. He remembers that fateful day they met as he carried Eugene back to the cabin. He hadn’t thought once of fucking him. Yes, he had been turned on by him, but never felt the desire to touch him since there was no chance that Eugene would ever love someone like him. But after two months, he had been proven wrong. Even if Eugene loved him, he would rather hold him and talk for hours on end then fuck him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell held his body close, unknown what to say. “You do?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene nodded his head, no hesitation. “Nobody has ever treated me like this. You make me feel safe and warm. I don’t know how to explain it, I just love being around you.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ve loved yah since day one.” He explained, stroking his auburn hair. God, he was gorgeous. Eugene had wide hazel eyes, following every single word he said. “I had ‘dese dreams ‘bout a boy dat looked like you for a long time. He was just as pretty as you were with bright and soft hair and perfect skin. Kept runnin’ away from me. The dreams kept comin’ back and no matter what, he always ran away from me. Whenever I’d get close, he would get farther and farther. Sounds like bullshit, but it’s true.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The reason I couldn’t kill you was…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Because you loved him.” Eugene said, cuddling more into his chest. “You saw him in me. You couldn’t kill someone you loved.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I love you, and only you.” Merriell confirmed. “I thought I was dreamin’, but yer real. Yer right next to me.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene buried his nose into Merriell’s shoulder, making a small cooing noise. Merriell wrapped his hands around the deer boy, his hand on his waist and red locks. They didn’t speak to each other since there was no need to; </span>
  <em>
    <span>they loved each other</span>
  </em>
  <span>. While Eugene felt pure bliss, Merriell was freaking out. He could feel his body become cold from the sweet. That awful cold, dropping feeling that he all knew too well. </span>
  <em>
    <span>It seemed too good to be true. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Please, don’t go.” Merriel closed his eyes as he said this into his hair, holding him tightly. He could smell the scent of his hair, vanilla and lavender, calming him down. He felt the red head squeeze back as someone responded. “I can’t be alone. I can’t handle it no more. Please..”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene noticed his anxiety rise. He left a small kiss on his collarbone, sucking on his sweet skin. “I’m right here. I’m not leaving you.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>This time, The scent had not disappeared, and everything still felt </span>
  <em>
    <span>warm</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Meriell looked down, seeing the gorgeous red hair and soft skin. All he saw Eugene. He wasn’t alone. It wasn’t a dream. Eugene was still with him, drooling on his chest. Merriell softly smiled in disbelief. He placed a small kiss in his hair before falling asleep himself. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Merriell’s dreams were becoming a reality. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>-----</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The next morning, Merriell woke up feeling refreshed. It was the first time in years he had slept well. It was because Eugene was right next to him, peacefully drooling on his chest. The two men had slept into eleven with Deacon both waking them up. Now that Eugene “loved” him, Merriell couldn’t stand to be away from him. All he wanted to do was shower him in little kisses and hold him close. While Eugene made tea for both of them, he felt Merriell’s hands wrap around his waist. He felt his cheeks burn up, nearly dropping the hot water. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell planted a small kiss on his pale neck, holding his waist. “Morin’ red,”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey,” Eugene responded, turning his head to look at him. His cheeks were red.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Your redder than your hair,” He smirked, holding him closer. The more kisses he gave Eugene, the redder his face got. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene bit his lip before they met. The kiss was passionate and gentle. Eugene tried to back out to breath, but Merriell gently bit his lower lip and tilted his head. Eugene couldn’t resist, he loved being kissed. Percy had never done anything like this to him. He still hadn’t put the ring on. He would have felt guilty, but Percy wasn’t there to judge him. Was he?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You up to walk Deacon? I knowa trail that leads to a lil’ surprise.” Merriell let go of his waist and grabbed the tea, giving him a small thank you. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene raised an eyebrow, “Yes, but what surprise?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell smirked in response, leaning against the counter, “Ain’t that the point of a surprise?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene playfully rolled his eyes in response. After all, Merriell was full of surprises. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-----</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Behind Merriell’s cabin, there was a man-made trail that led to a full on trail. Merriell would snow shoe down the trail in the winter or take Deacon on two hour walks. In the summers, he could run and swim in the lake with Deacon. But it was no fun being on his own. As they walked down the trail, it became more difficult due to the ice and snow. Eugene started to limp due his knee, but hid in. Merriell noticed this when a curse escaped Eugene’s mouth. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell turned back, seeing Eugene kneel. He ran over and bend down, full worry in his body. “Eugene! You okay?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A small groan escaped his mouth as Eugene tried to push himself up. “Y-Yeah, sorry. Jus’ my knee is acting up again. It’s fine, I wanna keep going.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Deacon ran over to Eugene, putting his ears down. He whimpered and stretched, making sure Eugene wasn’t hurt. Merriell saw his breath in the icy air, huffing it out. He tried to convince Eugene to go back, but Eugene persisted that he was fine and could make it on his own. Merriell eventually picked him up and held him on his back. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Merriell! Put me down. I can walk on my own!” Eugene burned read, squirming out of the position. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Your straining your leg. Come on, I dun’ wantcha ta hurt yourself.” Merriell looked back at him as he began walking. He had his devilish smirk plastered on his face.  It was so adorable to see Eugene so flustered and stubborn. Eugene was forced to give in and wrapped his hands around him in defeat. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After a few minutes of silence, Merriell turned over and tried to plant a kiss on his face, but Eugene looked away. “Come on, you did it for me. I don’t want you to hurt yourself.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene knew Merriell was right, but he argued back. “Merriell, I’m fine. It just hurt a little bit. You treat me like I’m made of glass. I’m not, I can fight for myself.” It was true. Eugene was so young and being away from his parents for the first time was changing them. Growing up, he was known as being weak. His parents hid him from the cruel world. He was sick of being percived as weak.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I know you can defend yourself gene, but your bein’ stubborn.” He said. He looked at Eugene who turned away, refusing to look at him. “I don’t think youyerr weak at all. I just don’t want you to hurt yourself.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Then can you let me walk? I walked half of the way here. Please Merriell,” Eugene begged, feeling Merriell stop. “I can do it.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene gave him sad eyes, which Merriell couldn’t resist. He let Eugene off of his back, but wrapped his hand around his shoulder and waist. It caught Merriell off guard. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ll letcha walk on your own, but with some help.” Merriell stated. Eugene sighed, but reluctantly agreed. The two men hopped down the trail as Deacon ran in front of them, disappearing into the snow. It seemed like it was taking years to get to this “surprise”, until they finally reached it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Wyoming was known for having endless forests and mountains, but not a clear lake. The trail ended at the beautiful lake. Ice covered it as the sun shined down on it. Eugene had traveled all over the woods, but never to this location. It seemed too far for any tourists or humans to travel to. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It's..gorgeous.” Eugene was speechless. He wiggled out of Merriell’s hold and hopped down to see the ice. He hadn’t been out of the house much and enjoyed the cool wind and sun shine onto his hair. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s been here for years. No one ever comes to it ‘cept me.” Merriell walked to stand by his side. “I never had anyone to enjoy this place with, until you stumbled along.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene turned over and smiled. Merriell’s hand latched onto Eugene’s, holding it tight. The past six years for Merriell were full of nothing but loneliness. He had nobody, until now. Maybe God finally answered his prayers and sent down an angel to him. All he ever wanted in life was someone to talk to, to hold, to love. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell pulled over a box of cigarettes and his lighter from the pocket of his jacket. Eugene brought his pipe along, wanting to try it. He cursed under his breath, forgetting to bring the tobacco. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell broke one of his cigars in half and poured the tobacco into Eugene’s pipe. Eugene looked at him and said, “Merriell, you don’t h-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“ ‘s fine, red.” Merriell said, throwing the paper to the ground. He was selfish, but not for Eugene. Eugene felt bad and promised to repay him, which Merriell denied. How did he deserve such a sweet boy? Merriell gently grabbed his cheek and lit the pipe, seeing Eugene look down at the pipe and up at him. Eugene took the pipe out and blew some smoke in his face. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell and Eugene both faced the lake, holding hands as they smoked. Merriell hadn’t felt so calm in years. Holding Eugene’s hand gave him serotonin. It made him feel like he was a high schooler once again, when life was simpler. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I love you so much. You saved me from myself” Merriell squeezed his hand and saw Eugene look over at him, a toothless smile on his face. Everything about Eugene was perfect in his eyes. He inhaled his cigarette out and blew smoke into the air, dropping it into the snow. He didn’t think about smoking whatsoever; all he thought about was Eugene. Nothing else mattered. His hands cupped his face as Eugene wrapped his hands around his arms, pulling them close. Just as they were about to kiss, it was rudely interrupted by Deacon’s bark. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>And Leckie’s voice. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The two men could recognize that voice from miles away. Deacon had run into some shrubs and stumbled upon Leckie. They thought it was just him, but they were wrong. They could hear Chuckler, Hoosier, and Runner’s voices in the distance. Eugene looked over, complete fear on his face. Merriell felt anger and fear surge in his veins. He tightly held Eugene by his waist, hearing a soft whimper escape his lips. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Where’s Mer, lil’ guy?” Leckie asked, his voice closer. Deacon growled in response, barking. He cursed at his men, telling them to keep looking for some other animal. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Come on,” Merriell whispered, grabbing Eugene’s hand. Their perfect little date was ruined. Nobody knew about this area except for him and Eugene. He could feel Eugene’s hand sweat and shake. Those men had possibly killed his friends and we're out of his head. Eugene feared death over anything else.He knew it was coming for him, but the thought process made him shiver. They could hear footsteps in the distance, but they eventually got quiet. They weren’t far from Merriell’s cabin before they slowed down. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell grabbed Eugene’s hand, holding it close to your chest. “Yer ok. ‘Dere not gonna hurt you. I won’t let them.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene looked down, on the verge of having a breakdown. “Sid..he’s..”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Could be anyone,” Merriell lied through his teeth. He hated doing it. There was a high chance he was probably dead, but not now. Eugene was in an emotional state, he couldn’t add onto it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Chuckler's voice boomed in the distance, “Footprints! He went this way!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Baiseurs sales!</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Merriell huffed. Him and Eugene began now sprinting, with Deacon joining them. Deacon was a smart dog and led them off track to a shortcut. They saw the cabin in the distance, the only light being the burning fire. Eugene followed Merriell to the garage before he was stopped. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Go inside and stay in the living room, I’m grabbin’ my rifle.” Merriell commanded. Eugene wanted to stay near Merriell, scared. He saw this and kissed his forehead with a hand on his shoulder. He patted it before heading to the garage. After all, the door was unlocked. Merriell stopped worrying about locking the doors since nobody lived within five miles of him. Eugene never worried much about his safety considering that Merriell was the type of person that had a stash of weapons. Eugene opened the front door and let Deacon run it. The pointer-beagle normally never ran to the fireplace so quickly. </span>
  <em>
    <span>It was only if someone else was in the house. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>And there happened to be someone, standing right in the fireplace. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He was no taller than five foot five. The short man stood in front of the fireplace and turned around to be greeted by Deacon and Eugene. His skin had a pinkish tone, covered in layers of clothes. He had messy chocolate hair, squinty blue eyes, round by defined face, thin lips, and prominent eyebrows. Either he could have been eighteen or twenty five. His rifle had been placed on the coffee table, looking at the fire. Merriell never mentioned having any friends over. But what had scared Eugene more than anything was that he recognised him from that day. The day where Sid was shot and Merriell found him. He was one of the men who stood behind Leckie, </span>
  <em>
    <span>wanting to kill him</span>
  </em>
  <span>. The shorter man’s small eyes widened, stepping back. He muttered something under his breath before looking at his weapon and back at Eugene. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After all, death was inevitable. It was the hunter and the prey. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene wasn’t going to die without a fight.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>1.)<br/>Baiseurs sales - Dirty Fuckers!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter Seven</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Burgie, Merriell's mentee and only friend, discovers Eugene and gets enwrapped in there small world. Leckie and his men pay a visit to Merriell's cabins as tensions grow between the two.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>oh boy, chappie 7 came out quick. defiantly one of my favourite one's so far; the drama evolves, the romance grows, and new characters introduced! we're about halfway through the story now, only a few more chapters to go. this is insanely fun to write. hope you guys enjoy this chapter (it's insanely fun to write this story). Expect chappie 8 by saturday/sunday! Hope you guys enjoy!</p><p>If you could leave a comment, I would really appreciate it. They really make my day. ;) </p><p>-Carrie</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Burgie was like a deer in headlights at the sight in front of him. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Being Merriell’s (only) friend was already a joyride, but what he was seeing couldn’t be real. It was the deer boy (or nicknamed the red head) he had encountered in October. The redhead had a friend with thesqunity blue eyes that killed Bill with </span>
  <em>
    <span>his antlers</span>
  </em>
  <span>. In his twenty years, Burgie had </span>
  <em>
    <span>never </span>
  </em>
  <span>seen a human and deer morphed together. When Leckie had first told him and his sisters about it, they didn’t believe it. Burgie and his family ran </span>
  <em>
    <span>The Red Rock Ranch</span>
  </em>
  <span>, nestled in the deep tetons. The closest they were to civilization was Merriell’s small cabin, and that was about a thirty minute drive. Wyoming was full of wildlife, but not </span>
  <em>
    <span>wild humans with antlers</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The red head was frozen in place like a deer in headlights. His eyes widened; reading Burgie’s mind. They both recognized each other. He was tall, lanky and rather sickly looking. He wore pants that were too short and a jacket that was too big for him. The deer boy tried to act like he wasn't afraid, but Burgie could sense his fear. Burgie was just as scared as he was. But regardless, Burgie was put with a task. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Leckie grabbed his shoulder, turning him around. “You see any of those deer humans, shoot ‘em. But don’t kill ‘em. Make sure they can’t walk. If you come back empty handed, then your ass is grass. You hear me boy?” </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Everyone knew Burgie was being one tough kid. He was the youngest member of The Sleeping Indian’s. Everybody treated him like their kid brother. He was a meaty boy who was physically and mentally strong. Burgie valued his family over anything and being the oldest out of three younger sisters, the short man worked two jobs in addition to being a respected hunter. Looking at the rifle, he didn’t hesitate to grab it. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Animals were beautiful creatures</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He had grown up with all kinds of farm animals and hated to see them in any pain. Even if he was tough, Burgie had a true heart of gold and valued life. He could hear the rustling of the red head as he ran to the other side of the room. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>As Merriell, his mentor, would always say to him at the range in his thick Cajun accent, “Aim for where ya shootin’, not what ya’ shootin.” </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Burgie followed him into the kitchen and cornered the deer boy, pointing his rifle at him. He was expecting to hear the deer boy whimper, but he wasn't. He stood against the counter, his hands searching for a nearby object. Burgie jolted to the side and saw it break onto the ground. There was no point of escaping now. Burgie fiddled with the trigger as he began to let his emotions get the better of him. The deer boy was there and let his friend </span>
  <em>
    <span>kill</span>
  </em>
  <span> Bill, but he was a </span>
  <em>
    <span>human.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Humans and animals weren’t any different. But he would make it as quick and painless as possible as his mentor Merriell taught him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Just as Burgie was about to let go of the trigger, he stopped when the red head yelled. “Merriell!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That was the first time he had ever heard him speak. His voice had a bit of an accent to do, and wasn’t what he was directly expecting. He slowly lowered his gun confused. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was too quick to react. The next thing Burgie knew is that he fell to the ground, feeling burly arms restraining him as he fell to the ground. The rifle flew right near Eugene and he grabbed it, putting it on the counter as he ran behind Merriell. Merriell held Burgie's arms as his knee secured him down. Burgie, standing at five’four, was one of the most physically fit hunters besides Chuckler. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Burgie turned his head, seeing Merriell. He cursed at him, squirming, “Mer! What da hell is this? Get offa’ me!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What the fuck were you doin’ in my house? Why are yah’ even here?” Merriell fumed, the grip on his arms becoming together. Burgie attempted to break free, but was slowly beginning to give up. Merriell made sure not to hurt the young boy, but keep him reistceted. Eugene stood behind them in pure terror; he was almost shot at in his safe haven.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Burgie groaned at the tight grip in his hands. He noticed Merriell look at the red head behind him, asking if he was okay. The redhead had a name and it was </span>
  <em>
    <span>Eugene.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Burgie couldn’t believe what he was hearing and seeing. He had known Merriell since he was fifteen years old. Merriell kept to himself and didn’t bother to socialize with anyone. When Burgie was put under his wing, Merriell and him bonded. Merriell was a lonely man with no family or friends. He acted cold towards everyone he met, except for Burgie and his family. Burgie was perplexed since Merriell never mentioned having any family or partners. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I think the other question is what da hell is that thing doin’ here.” The short man chided, his head tilting at Eugene. Eugene looked at him, not scared but more angered. Of course it bothered Burgie. The red head’s friend killed someone he considered family. “That sickly lookin’ boy killed one of us, Mer. He’s dangerous!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Keep ya’ trap shut, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Ti</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Burgie curved his back, throwing Merriell off of him. Pushing himself up, he was getting out of this place. This was a side of Merriell he was unfamiliar with. Would Leckie and his men even believe him? What the hell was the deer boy doing in Merriell’s house? There were too many questions that were probably never going to be answered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yah never answered my question.” Merriell said as he restrained Burgie on the counter. He squeezed his hand for him to respond. “Why are yah here?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Burgie refused to answer the question, grunting. from the tight squeeze. He responded, “If you let me go, I’ll tell you. I’m not gonna shoot the human or whatever that thing is. If you let me go, I’ll explain.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell snorted at the response. Burgie was the closest thing he considered to a friend, but he was a rule follower. He could sense the anger the young man felt towards Eugene, but was confused himself. The last thing he wanted was to see Eugene and Burgie hurt. “You think I’m lettin’ yah go? Burgie, I’ve watched yah grow up. You're a man who stays to his wo-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell stopped talking as he felt a soft hand on his shoulder. He turned around to see Eugene, looking at the two men. Burgie turned around as well, seeing him tower over them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I think </span>
  <em>
    <span>Burgie</span>
  </em>
  <span> has something to say..” Eugene chimed in. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merirell furrowed an eyebrow, shaking his head. “No, stay outta ‘dis. He d-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Merriell. He’s knows.” Eugene interrupted. Whether they liked or not, Burgie knew about Eugene being in Merriell’s house. They were all in this shit together. “Let go of him and let the man explain himself.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell looked at Eugene, calmed by his appearance. The boy did have a point. Burgie knew something he wasn’t suppose to know. Eugene was usually calm by nature, but his stubbornness was coming out. He knew Eugene hated being viewed like he was made of glass. Burgie was a long time friend of Merriell, he did train under his wing for years. Merriell practically raised Burgie as the son he never had. He let go of Burgie, but made sure to stand in front of him, forming a barricade between him and Eugene. Burgie got up and huffed at this, rubbing his eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The reason I came is ‘cause Leckie is gettin’ suspicious of you. He said ever since the Thanksgiving party, you began to get more secretive. You usually come into town once a week with a new kill, but you stopped comin’.” He explained. “Leckie’s been pretty edgy since the two deer boys and Bill. He thinks your keepin’ the red head.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell furrowed his eyebrows at Burgie, “Whaddya mean ‘keepin?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Burgie looked at Merriell and Eugene before he clarified. “Listen, rumor has it Runner said you and the deer boy a few weeks ago in the woods. Apparently the deer boy was carryin’ you, all bloodied, with Deacon. I know how crazy Runner is, but this ain’t sum little rumor.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Leckie sent me to your cabin since I know you better than anyone else. I was gettin’ worried, I hadn’t seen you since the Thanksgiving party. Told me to come back with somethin, or I’ll end up like one of the deer.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, he’s right ‘ere.” Merriell pointed at Eugene. He was pissed about what Burgie had said about Eugene, it was almost like he was insulting him. “Also, his name is Eugene. He can’t harm a fly.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene added himself into the conversation, “Listen, Sid didn’t mean it. He was probalry sca-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Burgie turned to Eugene and pointed a finger in his face. He wasn’t the type to get emotional, but Bill was family to him. “Well, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Sid</span>
  </em>
  <span> or whatever </span>
  <em>
    <span>killed </span>
  </em>
  <span>Bill. He impaled him with those antlers. Deer don’t do that. You're supposed to run away or sum shit like that.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You humans wipe out packs every year and we say nothing, but then when you kill one of us, you kill all of us?” He argued back, stepping closer to Burgie. The two men were angry and full of emotions. “That’s what you humans do. All you do is kill since</span>
  <em>
    <span> you're selfish monsters</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Burgie walked right up to him about to give him an earful, even if he didn’t have a leg to stand on. He knew that the deer boy, who’s name was Eugene, had a point. Animals defended themselves no matter what. But a loud knock at the door disrupted the men. Burgie felt his stomach drop. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s them” Burgie whispered, looking at Merriell. Merriell and Eugene both already knew that it wasn’t good news. Whoever was out there was out for Eugene and Burgie. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Cajun man cursed under his breath and turned to the two men. Burgie and Eugene were the only people he truly cared about. As he was trying to think of a plan, the knocking came back as more aggressive. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Turning and grabbing both of their shoulders, he led the two boys to the stairs. “Hide up da closet or bathroom. Don’t come out until I say.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene and Burgie rushed up the stairs. Eugene ran into the bathroom, hiding in the shower with the curtain covering him. Running down the hallway, Burgie tried to hide a proper hiding space, he couldn’t. He heard the door open and Leckie’s booming voice. Burgie crawled under a bed, covering his mouth. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Merriell!” Leckie flashed a fake smile. His men behind him explored the gardens with their Labradors sniffing anything that they saw. “Long time no see.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell let out an awkward chuckle, clutching his fist, “Leckie. Heard that huntin’ round da area. How have yah been?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leckie let himself in. Merriell smiled at him, gritting his teeth. This man was getting on his every nerve. Not only did Leckie let himself in, but so did Runner and Gunny as the other men stayed outside. Gunny closed the door behind him, Merriell knew that they meant business. He barely knew any of these men well. Merriell would have normally told them to leave, but he was walking on thin ice. His goal was to get them out of there as quickly as possible. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leckie pull a cigarette box out of his jacket pocket, looking for his lighter. The Cajun man walked over and pulled out a lighter. Leckie smirked at him, handing him a cigarette as Merriell both lit them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, Mer.” Leckie thanked him, blowing the smoke out. He looked around the house, seeing the neat organization and records spread all over the ground. “You gotta nice place. Shame you never show it to anyone. Isn’t Burgie the only person who’s seen it?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” He murmured, chewing on the cigarette. Fuck, Leckie was onto him. “Not too far from </span>
  <em>
    <span>The Red Rock</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Burgie’s been worryin’ bout you. He misses hunting with you.” Leckie interjected. “Y’know, you've been acting’ odd lately. You're already odd enough, but ever since this deer boy business, feel like you've been hiding something from us.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Got nothin’ ta hide, Leckie. I live ma life, ya life yours. If dis is bout da deer b-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The head hunter interrupted Merriell, “Did you kill him?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell turned over to Leckie, getting all up in his face. He blew cigarette smoke into his face. “If I did, his head would be mounted on my wall. Jus’ like yah did with the other deer boy.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But Merriell wasn’t done with his insults. “If yer also the best sharpshooter in Jackson, then why haven’t you killed the deer boy that seems so special to you. He’s justa’ another deer.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The blue eyed man looked at him, speechless. Gunny and Runner had overheard the conversation and chose best to ignore it. They had just seen Merriell </span>
  <em>
    <span>insult </span>
  </em>
  <span>Leckie to his face.  He had basically said that Leckie was obsessing over a small target and if he was such a great hunter then he should have been hunting bigger game. No one dared to insult Leckie as he was feared and respected in Jackson</span>
  <em>
    <span>. But Merriell was a man of mystery who didn’t follow anyone’s rules but his own. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As Leckie and Merriell (seemingly) argued, Gunny and Runner headed upstairs. Merriell wasn’t even focused on them right now. The cabin was a little bigger than what they were expecting. As the two men did some snooping, they entered Merriell’s bedroom. It was an invasion of privacy, but they truly didn’t care. Burgie, under Merriell’s bed, was scared shitless. He could feel the sweat pouring from his body. Although he had no idea what was going on, he was now invested into Merriell and Eugene’s deep shit. </span>
  <em>
    <span>It was very deep shit</span>
  </em>
  <span>. There was a heavy chance that Burgie wasn’t going to be crawling out of it anytime soon. He saw the two men’s feet walking around the bed, chuckling as they made fun of the shit in his room. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ain’t dis Burgies?” Gunny asked, showing a hat to Runner. Runner walked over to him, examining the hat. It was a chestnut woolrich that Merriell had given to him a few years back. Burgie realized what they were talking about and mentally cursed. </span>
  <em>
    <span>He fucked up</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Runner nodded, “Yup. We sent him out to find the deer boy, but he came here instead. He might be upstairs, pissin his pants. Leckie gave him an earful since he knows the crazy fucker better than anyone else here.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Runner and Chuckler’s footsteps became distance as they exited the room to search the second floor. Burgie couldn’t stay under the bed longer. He crawled out of it and slithered out of the bedroom. Seeing Runner in the hallway, distracted by a photo, he almost dropped dead. He jumped into the nearest room which happened to be the small bathroom. Looking around the room, he tried to find a hiding spot but to not avail. Runner had noticed some commotion and his footsteps started to get louder. The short man began to back up near the shower curtain before a hand covered his mouth, pulling him behind the shower curtain. It was none other than Eugene as he placed a finger on his lip, begging for him to be quiet. The two men crouched down in the shower hearing Runner walk into the bathroom. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Runner looked around the tiny room, picking up the toothbrush. It was empty, but organized. But something threw him off. Instead of one toothbrush, there were two. There seemed to be two of everything; hairbrushes, razors, toothpastes. “What in the hell is this…” He murmured, admiring one of the hairbrushes. It had lighter hair than Merriell’s. Could they have belonged to Burgie? Burgie had a family but used to stay at Merriell’s place when a hunt would go into the dark hours of the night. Of course Runner had to be a guest by pissing in Merriell’s own bathroom. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Burgie and Eugene heard Runner’s pants fall to the floor. He began urinating as he typically would. It was going on for an unusual amount of time. The bathtub was so small with Burgie sitting ontop of Eugene. He shifted backwards, causing a bottle to fall. Eugene had caught it, but it made enough noise to draw attention. Runner stopped pissing and cursed under his breath. His footsteps drew closer to the shower curtain with his hand wrapping around the curtain, preparing to see what all of the commotion was. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A strong voice boomed with the door slamming out, “Runner! The fuck are you doin’?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Runner nearly fell with his ass exposed to Gunny. He jumped back, pulling up his hands as he did his belt. “I had to go! Give Merriell a little gift.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Leckie is about to storm outta this place. Pull your damn pants up, let’s get outta here.”Runner let out a loud “fuck me!” before hastily doing his belt and running out of the bathroom. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The two hunters rushed outside to see a cheeky Merriell, waving goodbye to Leckie and his men. Leckie looked embarrassed and full of rage with his fights clenched. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Merry late christmas, boys!” The Cajun man waved, a cigarette hanging from his lip. The other hunters looked at him, rolling their eyes and muttering about him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, and Leckie!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leckie sighed as he turned over to him with a mundane face, “What?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Good luck with the red head. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Don’t let him getaway ‘dis time!</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Merriell smiled, blowing a fake kiss. God, he loved being passive aggressive. Leckie didn’t even respond to his comment and just walked away feeling defeated in front of his own men. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What about Burgie?” Runner walked besides him, being talkative as typical. “I sa-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leckie walked forward, grasping at his rifle. “The Red Ranch ain’t far from here. Burgie’s a big boy. He knows how to navigate the woods.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As the blue eyed man drove on the icy road with the mountains in the background, his hand gripped tightly on the wheel. Merriell had made him look like a clown in front of his men. There was no denying that Merriell could be cocky and even obnoxious at times, but he was crossing the line. Telling him to worry about the big game so Merriell could hunt all of the humans looking deer, especially the red head. </span>
  <em>
    <span>If Merriell wanted war, then that’s what he was getting. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Meanwhile, Merriell sped back into the house and slammed the door behind him. He ran upstairs, looking for Eugene and Burgie. They weren’t in the two bedrooms, so Merriell assumed that they hid in the bathroom. Opening the bathroom door Merriell was greeted to Burgie sitting on top of Eugene. It was an awkward position for both of them, leaving the two men blushing. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Runner pissed in here,” Burgie titled his head to the toilet, which was covered in pissed. “Wanted to leave a christmas gift.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell looked over and cursed in French. The two men eventually got out of the shower as Merriell walked to the living room. As they walked down, Burgie turned to Eugene, a soft look on his stern face. “Thank you, by the way.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene raised an eyebrow, confused. Burgie saw the deer boy’s confusion. It was alien to be talking to a boy with antlers. He had thought it was a dumb rumor, which it appeared </span>
  <em>
    <span>not to be</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“For pullin’ me. I owe you one.” Burgie confirmed. Eugene nodded his head in response. Just an hour ago, this man tried to kill him and now was thanking him for saving his life. He had no idea who he truly was but a possible friend of Merriell. It was an odd situation, but Eugene would prefer having an ally over a foe. Eugene was meant to be a secret only known by Merriell. But now Burgie knew about the deer boy. They were now all in this together whether they liked it or not. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What the hell happened between you and Leckie?” Burgie said as he followed Merriell down the stairs and into the living room. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Made him angry. He’s onto me.” Merriell replied as he pinched his nose bridge. He was totally fucked now. Merriell was one man against a whole entire club. “He thinks you have somethin’ ta dew with it. It ain’t safe for you to go back.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Burgie looked at Eugene. He felt guilty for almost killing him an hour ago. Although he had no idea what was even happening, he knew that he had many unanswered questions. “Mer, I’ll stay the night. But ya gotta explain how all of the hell of this happened.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell began to explain that he found Eugene, and injured the woods. Burgie was an avid hunter lik Merriell, but pited for Eugene. The guilt hit him in the heart since he was </span>
  <em>
    <span>there </span>
  </em>
  <span>the day that Eugene was shot. Not only did Burgie have his questions, but so did Eugene and Merriell. The person who shot Eugene in his knee was Ack Ack since he only used a bow and arrow while hunting deer. The other deer boy, Eugene’s friend, was named Sid. Eugene asked if he was dead, full somber in his eyes. There was a high chance he died since Eugene recalled hearing a gunshot. Burgie said he was sent off to chase Eugene with Ack Ack and Hillbilly. But </span>
  <em>
    <span>Burgie didn’t want to tell Eugene that he was responsible for accidentally shooting (and most likely killing) his best friend. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We did encounter another thing like you a few weeks back. It was right before Thanksgiving, and Leckie had killed him. Never knew what they did with the body tho.” The short man added to the conversation as a possible clue. Merriell found Burgie useful since he was an active member of </span>
  <em>
    <span>The Sleeping Indian. </span>
  </em>
  <span>The only member he ever seemed to connect with was Burgie. He had known him since he was sixteen when he joined the club and was put under Merriell’s wing. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What did the deer look like?” Eugene asked.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Burgie looked down, trying to think of his appearance. It was blurry, but he recalled it the best he could. “Blonde curly hair, blue eyes, tall and muscular. Gave Leckie real hell, before he was shot in his broadside. Leckie made sure he had a painful death. Y’know, he’s been actin’ up ever since these deer have been around. He’s not himself.”  Not to mention Burgie had felt a little hurt considering that Leckie had just up and left him in the wilderness. Leckie never leaves any men behind, but Burgie was. Merriell wasn’t good with emotions but could tell that Burgie was hurting and hiding it behind his tough skin.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell patted his shoulder, “Stay the night, the company is nice.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The shorter man looked up at Merriell, a subtle smile on his face. Maybe dealing with Merriell’s weird shit wasn’t such a bad thing. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-----</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The sun had completely set, leaving the sky a dark nothing. The only light came from the moon, illuminating the crisp snow. Eugene could barely see anything a mile away with his only light being a lantern. Fiddling with the dog tag his thoughts began to race. Merriell was the only human he had ever interacted with, and now Burgie was thrown into there little world. It seemed like Burgie was an ally to both of them, a mole that they could use. Even if Burgie was still a “friend”, he couldn’t erase the fact that Burgie had looked at him with eyes of determination as he pointed a gun towards him. But odd situations called for odd occurrences. The curly haired man never mentioned having any close friends, but then again he was a man of mystery. Eugene often wondered about Merriell’s past which he always seemed to avoid. Nonetheless, Eugene remained curious and persistent. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Having Burgie was a curse and blessing. He was the closest thing they had for information on </span>
  <em>
    <span>The Sleeping Indian</span>
  </em>
  <span>, especially Leckie. But knowing that he was there that day and watched Sid die made him full of rage and sadness. Sid never left his mind. Was he alive? The redhead had a small hope that he was ok. Maybe Percy or Ed had found him and took him back home to be operated on by his father. Sid would have flexed his new scar and tried to win over all the ladies with it; </span>
  <em>
    <span>the deer who survived the hunter</span>
  </em>
  <span>. But it all seemed too good to be true. Knowing that Eugene ran away while Sid died made him die a little inside. He felt like with every passing day his humanity was slowly crumbling away. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene felt a set of arms wrap around his waist. He looked behind him to see none other than Merriell. A soft smile appeared on his face, turning over to him. “Hey.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Heya </span>
  <em>
    <span>Cher</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” The cajun cooed into his ear, his head resting on his shoulder. Cher was a new nickname Merriell had been calling him lately, and Eugene wasn’t complaining. It made him blush like he had some schoolgirl crush (in which he did). He knew that Merriell was standing on his toes. “You doin’ okay?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The red head put his hands onto Merriell’s, his fingers tracing mindless patterns. He hesitated to answer, but nodded his head. Of course Merriell could tell that something was bothering him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell’s eyebrow softened, placing a gentle kiss onto Eugene’s cheek. “Please tell me what’s wrong. If It has ta dew with Burgie den I-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, Burgie is nice. He apologized, Mer.” Eugene reassured him. Burgie did apologize and had told him in his words that</span>
  <em>
    <span> “I have no idea what’s happening, but if Merriell likes you, then guess I have to like you too.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Eugene was definitely scared of the shorter man, but trusted him. Better to have an ally than a foe. “He talks highly of you. Didn’t know you mentored him.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell chuckled at the response as he mindlessly swayed with Eugene. “Yup, I’ve known him since he was a sixteen, all small ‘n tough.. After his daddy died, the only way he could support his sisters ‘n mama was huntin’. I taught him howta shoot a gun ‘n raised him when his mama couldn’t. Only reason I stayed with da Sleeping Indian is cause of Burgie. The boy is tiny, but can pack a real fight.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Burgie calls you Snafu, not Merriell.” Eugene asked, raising an eyebrow. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He smiled at Eugene, squeezing him. “Call me Snafu then.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu was a nickname that some of the other hunters called him. It was a negative containtion, meaning </span>
  <em>
    <span>Situation Normal: All Fucked Up</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Merriell couldn’t care less since he had been called it throughout the war and it traveled with him to Wyoming.  Merriell loved Eugene more than anything, but never bothered to tell him about his past. He had told him parts and bits of the war, but never about his life before the war. It was too depressing and Eugene wouldn’t want to hear the plot of a sad movie in Merriell’s mind. The presence of Eugene changed Merriell’s whole entire personality, making him feel insecure and vulnerable. He wanted to make sure Eugene was happy and safe no matter what, but felt like he was being too clingy. As a thirty year old, he was embarrassed that he couldn’t emotionally function in a relationship, yet in a normal day to day conversation. Merriell stood there, looking into the black abyss as he held Eugene close to him. There was a peaceful silence, the first that they had after the drama-filled day they had. Eugene relaxed into Merriell’s hold, giving a small peck on his cheek. Merriell proceeded to kiss him back, this time on the lips. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene broke away from the kiss to catch his breath. Some saliva trailed down his lip with Merriell using his thumb to clean it off. Eugene hitched his breath as he blushed red. He pulled himself together. “I heard you and Burgie talking about Leckie. He wants me on his wall. He wants me dead with Si-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell interjected with a kiss. It wasn’t gentle but sloppy, greedy, and passionate. His grip around Eugene began tighter as he swirled him around to face him. His hands grasped onto his lower waist and nape as his tongue begged for entry into Eugene’s. Eugene got into the kiss and wrapped his hands around Merriell’s, letting Merriell kiss him away. After an emotional day, all the two men needed was each other's touch. Being around Merriell relaxed Eugene, making him forget about all of the troubles in the world. Eugene loved the attention that Merriell showered him in, showing that he truly </span>
  <em>
    <span>cared </span>
  </em>
  <span>and </span>
  <em>
    <span>loved him. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I swear on ma’ life, Imma protect you no matter one. Nobody is gonna evera hurt you.” Merriell purred as he smashed his lips back into Eugene’s. He turned Eugene and set him up by a wooden pillar. “God, your fuckin’ gorgeous. I don’t know what I’d do without you, I dun think..”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene squeezed his shoulder, looking over with a deer in the headlights face. Merriell looked confused as he turned over, muttering. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Merde</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Burgie stood at the screen door in Merriell’s pajamas, Deacon nestled in his arms. His squinty blue eyes widened at the sight, his cheeks growing in color. He wanted to ask if Merriell had any spare blankets since the cabin was frigid. Hearing chatter coming from the porch, Burgie decided to check if it was Merriell and was greeted by him, making out with the deer boy. </span>
  <em>
    <span>This day could have not gotten weirder</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The short man huffed in response, “Y’know, I don’t care at this point. This day has been fucking insane. I’m not even gonna question this.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell still had his hands on Eugene, his cheeks burning as well. He stuttered, “Burgie, I can ex-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Snafu, I don’t care what your doin’ with Eugene.” He huffed, Deacon barking in response. Placing the dog onto the ground, Burgie pushed his brown hair back. He was completely exhausted. “This day was been confusing. Bat shit insane. I had no idea you were keepin’ this deer boy in here and doin whatever with him. It’s nonna my business. I don’t know why Leckie is so obsessed with Eugene, but all I know is that I don’t like it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What do you mean, Burgie?” The red head questioned. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Listen, if your a friend of Merriell, then your a friend of mine. I may not understand anything that’s going on, but Merriell told me to protect you. You pulled me into the shower and hid me. I owe you one.” He responded, letting out a sigh. “Now if you will excuse me, I’m headin’ to bed. ‘Dis day has been fucking exhausitng.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell or Eugene couldn’t even question Burgie before he ushered inside. It definitely wasn't the response he was expecting. Burgie was a man of justice and morals. Even if he didn’t know Eugene well enough, knowing that he was close to Merriell meant that he needed to be protected. Merriell had talked to him about Eugene and made sure to protect him. Burgie instantly knew that Merriell seemed to care a lot about Eugene, like he </span>
  <em>
    <span>loved </span>
  </em>
  <span>him. But Merriell was a grown man. Burgie couldn’t care less what Merriell did. If he was happy, then he was happy for him. Eugene seemed to be innocent and kind; not wanting to cause harm to others. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Animals had to defend themselves, just like humans had to. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After Burgie had left, Merriell cupped Eugene’s cheeks as he placed a softer kiss. His previous kiss was downright possessive and greedy. But Merriell knew that Eugene had been hurt before. He was probably a little shaken from the previous events. Eugene leaned into him as his hands played with his soft curls. His movements became slower and more relaxed as he melted into Merriell’s arms.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell noticed Eugene had gone limp. He chuckled to himself, noticing that Eugene had fallen asleep. He scooped up his legs with a tight grasp on him. He was unable to process being alone ever again. The Cajun carried the red head up to </span>
  <em>
    <span>there</span>
  </em>
  <span> bedroom and tucked him into bed. Merriell barely slept, admiring the sleeping beauty. Eugene was his whole world. Being alone once again with his heartbroken would scar him. Merriell had never had an emotional connection in his life before. The selfish part of him wanted to keep Eugene all to himself. But he couldn’t. Their romance was forbidden.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Regardless, The Lion Fell In Love With The Lamb. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>------</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Cold. That was all he felt. Everything was dark, cold, and unwelcoming. His whole life had been turned upside by those selfish monsters. The only warmth in the dark room was the dying fire. He crawled in front of it to feel it’s sweet warmth. It illuminated the blood that covered his hands. Reaching for the top of his head, the blonde felt the rough texture. His Antlers had been shedding since October until they had been cut from his head. It had been one of the most painful experiences in his life. He had no idea where he was, with no food or water. Everyday humans would come into the room and yell and spit. Then he would be brought in chains, put on display like he was a circus animal. As the days passed on, a part of him died on the inside. He used to love life, but all he wanted was death’s sweet release. Huddling in front of the fire, his hands could feel the bruises and scabs that decorated his arms. A small sob escaped from his mouth as he cried himself to sleep. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>But before he died, which he believed was going to happen soon, is that his best friend was alive. If Eugene had gone back home, well and alive with his family. Escaped a fate that was worse than death itself. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Eugene..” He choked out a sob. He had forgotten his own name. He had been called boy and bitch and all kinds of horrid nicknames. Before his life was changed, his name was Sid. Sidney Phillips. The happy and smiling boy everyone knew with the curliest blonde eyes, bluest eyes, and grand antlers. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>But Sid had been strripped of everything he once had and knew. “I’m sorry...I’m sorry…” </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Sid laid by the fire as his tears led him into sleep.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>He prayed to god that Eugene didn’t die and was alive. It’s all Sid ever asked for. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>1.) <br/> Ti (masculine) or 'tite (feminine) [tee or teet]: The Cajun equivalent of 'junior,' but placed before the name rather than after. (www.louisianatravel.com)</p><p>2.) <br/>Merde = Shit</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter Eight</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Eugene finally connects with Burgie, learning more about Snafu's puzzling past. Burgie and Snafu head to the lodge and make a horrifying discovery.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hey guys! Hope your all well. Funny how time flies. Eight chappies later and it marks a whole month since I started this cringe worthy fic. It feels weird to be half way through with this. But each chappie just gets more exicitng and exciting to write. I'll try to get chappie nine out within this week since school starts in two weeks. But the drama gets good in this one, I promise. Hope you guys enjoy! </p><p>If you could please leave a comment, I'd really appreciate it. They truly make my day ;-)</p><p>-Carie</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Burgie decided to spend the next couple of days at Merriell’s little cabin. In just the course of a few days his normal routine would be changed. He was now dragged into Merriell trying to hide a deer boy for the very club that he hunted for. It sounded like the plot of a movie or book that had come to life. It had every element of a movie; drama, love, and mystery. Burgie, like Eugene, was feeling all types of emotions. He had witnessed his own friends leave him behind in the wilderness. It made him feel enraged and upset at the world. Burgie hated showing his emotions and tried to shrug it off, but even Merriell could see his pain. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Merriell decided to go hunting for the day. It was to get dinner for him and the boys. He hadn’t hunted in a while. Burgie begged to go with him, but Merriell wanted him to stay with Eugene for company. It was more of the older man worrying about Eugene. Ever since meeting the deer boy, he could spend hours in bed contemplating hunting. He had </span>
  <em>
    <span>killed </span>
  </em>
  <span>deer in the past before and thought nothing of it, but it began to change as the days went on. Looking at a deer with it’s dopey eyes and antlers made him think of Eugene. </span>
  <em>
    <span>There was no way he could hurt or kill something he loved</span>
  </em>
  <span>. It would be a long day.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Winters in Wyoming mostly consisted of heavy snow and sunless days, but today was different. The sun shined with not a cloud in the sky. Burgie, being stuck inside of the cabin, was bored beyond his mind. Being with Merriell and Eugene was a nice change, but he kept worrying about his family. The Red Rock Ranch wasn’t far from Merriell’s house, but Burgie couldn’t drive since Chuckler offered to drive him back from Jackson every day. He called his mother and said that he was going to stay a few days with Merriell for a hunt. She questioned him about everything. Burgie was a man of honesty and hated being a hypocrite. He wanted to be a good role model for his younger sisters. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene had noticed that Burgie seemed off. He seemed like a nice man, but was quite intimidating (no matter how small he was). He couldn’t erase Burgie’s face of pure determination, pointing that gun at him. But a week ago seemed like it was a year ago. He almost seemed stressed and worried. There was definitely a little tension between Burgie and Eugene, but they got along fine after Burgie apologized. Hearing Burgie rant his frustrations to Merriell made him pity the short man. Burgie was only a year older than him. After some subtle eavesdropping, Eugene learned that Burgie enjoyed Earl Gray Tea. Making a cup for two, he walked into the living room and placed it down onto the coffee table. The shorter man noticed, tilting his head to look up at Eugene. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Mer says you like tea, made you a cup.” Eugene said.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Burgie looked at the cup, noticing that it was Earl Gray. That was his favorite. How did he know? “Oh, thanks Eugene.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was a small silence between the two men. Burgie didn’t really know what to say to the person he tried to kill just a week ago. Eugene noticed play cards right next to his cup, asking “You wanna play a round?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Burgie nodded his head in response, desperate for entertainment. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>An hour had gone by and the men had played multiple rounds of War, Go Fish, and Patience. He saw Burgie chuckle a few times. Turns out he was a cheeky player. Eugene thought it over and over in his head on how to start a conversation. He finally broke the silence. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How do you know Snafu?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Burgie looked up from his desk as he placed down an Ace, taking Eugene’s Queen. “Through </span>
  <em>
    <span>The Sleeping Indian</span>
  </em>
  <span>, bout five years ago. After my daddy died, I joined the club since I needed money, n’ fast. We runna’ ranch not to far from here that barely makes any business, sellin’ some produce in Jackson. Mer, or we call him Snafu, was ma’ mentor. Like anybody else, I was scared of him.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene tilted in his head, curious. He remembers being petrified of Merriell (or Snafu) that day he was shot. “Why scared?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Burgie and Eugene placed their cards down, and Eugene took them in. “You hear him talk, you won’t be able to understand him. Maybe since you and Snafu are together, you’ve seen a different side of him. But when first meeting him, he was..” Burgie stopped mid sentence, shaking his head. “I shouldn’t say.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why?” The redhead asked. Burgie was the only person that knew Merriell well in Jackson, or Wyoming for the matter. “I can’t imagine he’s much different, he seems...calm.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Burgie snorted under his breath, raising an eyebrow. “Calm is far from it. Not sure if it’s whatcha wanna hear ‘bout him, but your vice, not mine.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Snafu is a mess. A total trainwreck .I’d heard all this insane shit bout him from Wyoming and the war. How he pried gold teeth offa’ japs, threw bullets into headless jap’s, list went on. He had gotten into a few fights at the local bar with the mayor’s son and his goons, beat ‘em to plumps. None of the other hunters knew what he was capable of since he was so standoffish. Before my first day of training, Leckie wished me luck. Sixteen year old me was pissin my pants.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Took me a while to get used to him. He’s one hella of a sharpshooter ‘n hunter. He threatened to wrestle a He didn’t talk much during our first few sessions. But once he went on hunts and camping, he began talkin’ more. He wasn’t some scary and mean man, but a lonely man. Always asked me ‘bout my mama n’ sisters over some cigarettes. For Christmas one year, he gave my family some money. It wasn’t a lot, but it helped us get by. Only person he ever cared about in that club was me, everybody else he called pigs. The only reason he was in the club was so he could get good money for kills.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene’s face turned from disgust to interest. Merriell was a man capable of anything. He had seen an angry side, a begging side, and his loving side. Seeing him wrestle a coyote with his bear hands sent shivers down his spine. He kept asking about Merriell, “Does he have any family?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Had.” The short man said. “Snafu said he was a bastard child, along with his sister. He had a teenage mom who raised them in New Orleans. When she died, it was only Snaf and his sister. He’s not one to let his guard down so quickly. I think he gave her up at some point and then enlisted in the army and fought for a few years before movin’ to Wyoming. That’s all I know about him. I’ve known him for so long, and still know nothin’ ‘bout him.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I never knew he had family.” Eugene replied, putting his last card down. “He never mentions it ever.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Never knew he had you until well,” Burgie paused and changed the subject. “Snafu said he found you against a tree, right?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, yeah. I’ve been here for about two months.” Eugene nodded. “I don’t remember much of that day. Still feel guilty ‘bout Sid though. He might be dead, and I feel guilty. He told me to run away and he’d follow, he never did..”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Burgie saw the worry ridden on Eugene’s slender face. The guilt began tugging at his heart. There was no way he could tell Eugene that he might have shot him. Only if Burgie knew what happened to him, to give the poor boy closure. He had noticed Merriell was different around the deer boy, and Burgie had noticed a change in himself as well. He had killed so many deer over the years and now had befriended one. The thought of having to kill another deer made him cringe and question himself. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He’s a good friend. I’m sure he’s waitin’ for you to come home.” Burgie reassured, a small smile on his face. Eugene looked back at him, a small smile on his face as well. Eugene wasn’t so intimate by Burgie anymore. This was the most he had heard Burgie speak. “Your in good hands with Merriell. He cares about you a lot.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What does Merriell say about me?” The red head urged. He wondered what Snafu said to Burrgie about him. Was it good or bad.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Burgie paused for a second. From the second Snafu had tackled him, he knew something was off. Snafu was definitely not in the norm. The way he talked, defended, </span>
  <em>
    <span>held </span>
  </em>
  <span>Eugene told Burgie that he was in some relationship with him. Over the years, he learned how to read Snafu well. He could tell if he was pissed, drunk, happy, whatever. But this was a new emotion. Snafu was in love and obsessed with Eugene. He talked about him like he was some god. Not only did he talk about how quiet, occasionally witty, and sweet Eugene was, but his looks. He called him beautiful, gorgeous, stunning, and even </span>
  <em>
    <span>Mon Ange</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He truly believed that Eugene was an angel sent down. Burgie wasn’t attracted to him, but he could see why Merriell was. The boy was the opposite of him; empathic, kind, and innocent up against Merriell’s tough and scared demeanor. If his sisters were around, they would be </span>
  <em>
    <span>swooning </span>
  </em>
  <span>about their relationship. Eugene did also look </span>
  <em>
    <span>angelic </span>
  </em>
  <span>with his striking auburn locks, pale skin, and lanky form. Burgie would have described him as </span>
  <em>
    <span>cute,</span>
  </em>
  <span> but felt nothing towards him. Snafu seemed happy whenever he was around him. It didn’t bother Burgie as much as it should have. If Snafu and Eugene were content, then he was as well.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thinks you his everythin’. Yer changing him, for the better. I can tell he’s been sleeping and drinkin’ less.” The short man explained, a smile on his face. Snafu was so gloom n’ doom all the time and it was nice to see him change. “I don’t know what you do to him. I can’t imagine wha-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The door closed behind them, and it was none other than Snafu. He took off his boots, smiling at the men. He walked in on them drinking tea and playing cards. At first he felt nervous leaving Eugene alone with another human, but it seemed like it had worked out just fine. His gut told him it would since Burgie was only a year older than Eugene. “Hey there. Got us some dinner, hope ya’ll like sum’ goose. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sounds great, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Snafu</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Eugene turned over, a soft smile on his face. The curly haired man melted at his mere presence. He would have thrown him against the wall and made out with him, but Burgie was right there. Snafu resorted to a simple kiss on his forehead, walking to the kitchen. Deacon ran over to Eugene and Burgie, attacking the two men with kisses. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I can start makin’ the salad.” Eugene pushed himself up, taking the empty mugs from the coffee table. Deacon sat on Burgie’s lamp, nestled and comfortable. Merriell followed right behind him as he would make the goose. Burgie sat on the couch, stroking Deacon’s floppy ears. He held awkward to intervene. “Can I help out? With anythin’ really.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The red head turned around to look at Burgie, “Of course you can. You didn’t even need to ask.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He had a smile on his face, it wasn’t too small or big. Walking to the kitchen, Burgie began to seat the table and light some candles. It wasn’t a lot, but his mama always taught him to be a polite boy. Just looking and talking to Eugene made Burgie feel at peace. He was truly a sweetheart. </span>
  <em>
    <span>The short man could finally see why Snafu loved Eugene so much.</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-----</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Once Snau got out of the shower, he scrubbed his wet curls with a towel. He didn’t want to reak of goose blood and the wilderness, especially in front of Eugene. Meanwhile, Eugene had changed out of his day clothes into some comfortable pajamas. He hated being naked in front of Snafu, it made him feel vulnerable. Just as he threw on his flannel shirt, he saw Snafu, only wearing a tight towel. His skin was bronze, decorated in little scars that were fading away with time. The red head immediately noticed and looked away, feeling his cheeks go red. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What’s the matta’, Cher?” He purred, leaning against the bathroom door. He pushed back his wet curls. “Yah seem a lil’ flustered.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene looked back, clearing his throat. His cheeks were still tomato red. “P-put on a shirt, damnit. If you don’t, you’ll catcha cold.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu went back into the bathroom and came back out, but not wearing a shirt. His flannel pajama pants hung low to his hips, showing off his whole body. The curly haired man flauntered like he was a model, only making Eugene blush more. Jumping into bed, Merriell got close to Eugene as he placed a tiny kiss on his lips, which was surprisingly gentle. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene sighed, “Where is your shirt? You're wet, you're gonna get sick.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“My shirt’s in da washer.” He smirked. “I’ll stay warm with you by ma side.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene playfully rolled his eyes as he turned his back to Merriell. The Cajun wrapped his arms around his waist, spooning him. He could feel Merriell suck tenderly at his thin neck with the red head finessing the little cuts on his arm. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yah dun know how much I love yah, gene. Your everythin’ to me ta me.” He kissed along his neck as his hands traveled down his bony thighs. He cooed into his hair, “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Vous êtes si parfait, mon ange</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You're a big sweetheart, I love you </span>
  <em>
    <span>even</span>
  </em>
  <span> more” The red head turned to face him, placing a kiss on his calloused hands. He knew that Merriell loved when his hands were kissed. They were dry and covered in blisters. He decorated them in small pecks as Merriell wrapped an arm around him, his face buried in his red hair. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After cuddling for a few minutes, Merriell broke the silence to meet Eugene’s hazel eyes. “You make me so happy, y’know dat? I can’t imagine not bein’ with you. I dun know what I’d do without you. The first time I saw you with those dopey eyes and antlers, I knew I was in love with you. It gets so lonely with nobody in ‘dis lil cabin. When your in ma’ arms and callin’ me sweetheart, i melt. I nevera have ever felt ‘dis way with sumone, thought I’d die all old ‘n alone. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Just stay with me, please.</span>
  </em>
  <span>” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene froze at this, with his grasp on Snafu becoming lighter. Snafu would occasionally bring this up, but he had fully let out his heart this time. He hated being alone and Eugene had a feeling that he wanted Eugene to stay with him. A part of him did want to stay, but the other yearned to go home to his family. Eugene’s first ever love was Snafu, someone who spoiled, loved, and respected him. But the two men were smart enough to know what it would never be. They were lucky that Burgie was so relaxed with there relationship. The more people would find out, the more danger Eugene would be in. It was best for Snafu to let Eugene leave, but deep in his heart he couldn’t.</span>
  <em>
    <span> Eugene was Merriell’s blessing in disguise</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene didn’t respond at all, unable to form a sentence. How the hell did Snafu expect him to respond? He was smart enough to know that Eugene loved him, but wanted to go home. It wasn’t an easy choice for either of the men. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene felt like the minutes dragged onto hours as his hands traced mindless patterns onto Merriell’s scarred back. “Burgie talked ‘bout you today. He said you had a lil’ sister.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Guessin’ he told you ‘bout the Japs ‘n bar fight too.” Snafu annoyingly huffed, turning over to look at the burning candle. Eugene mentally panicked, afraid he offended Merriell. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene placed his hand on the Cajun’s shoulder, reassuring him. He knew how to win him back. “He did, Snaf. I’m not disgusted by it, the past doesn’t matter to do. Snafu, </span>
  <em>
    <span>look at me</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu simply ignored Eugene’s touch, shrugging the hand of. If there was anything he hated, it was the past. He hated whenever someone would ask if he had any family, a wife, children, or why he moved to Wyoming. It wasn’t their business to know, wondering why they wanted to know. People seemed god damn nosy. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ve told you about my family and friends. Merriell, please. I ju-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Pour l'amour, </span>
  </em>
  <span>shut da fuck up Eugene!” The Cajun snapped, angry and annoyed. Eugene jumped back a little, cowering down. He looked at Eugene and painfully began to realize what he had done. As he was about to apologize, the red head scooted away and turned over. Merriell held out his hand to touch him, but resisted. He had fucked up now. It was better if he had shut up and fallen asleep. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Until he had heard sniffling. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He knew that sound all too well. It was coming from Eugene. He had tried hiding it, but it was slowly starting to show. God, Snafu hated seeing Eugene cry that he caused. There was no way he could fall asleep, knowing that Eugene was upset. From the minute he had yelled at him, he instantly regretted it. Snafu was furious at himself. Eugene had told him everything about himself and Snafu had a lick to share. He hadn’t told anybody about his past except Burgie, and it was only the bare minimum. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Turning over, Snafu was met with the red head’s back. He inhaled before he began to explain. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Her name was Jade. She wassa’ few years younger ‘den me. She had a smile that made everyone smile ‘round her. Anybody who met her loved her. After ma died, it was me and Jade, all alone with no money. We lived from foster home ta’ foster home. When I turned eighteen, we were kicked to da’ streets. But no matter how bad it got, she was always so happy. So positive ‘bout everything. Even if she was starvin’ or cold, all she cared about was bein’ with me. We hadda’ dream that we’d buy this white mansion in da Garden District with thousands of cats and dogs. I saved up all the pennies and bills I had for seven whole years. But the older I got, I couldn’t take care of myself or Jade. She didn’t deserve to have a beat up, alcoholic brother. I was immature and angry at the world. She was gonna die of starvation if she didn’t get proper food. The Japs bombed Pearl Harbor and they needed young men like me. I had to fine her a home.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I worked as a gardener for this wealthy family in da Garden District. I had told ma boss ‘bout Jade, and she offered to take her in. Give her a home, food, and a family. She promised to take her in for however long I was gone. I remember the day I left Jade with them. She was sobbin’ her eyes out, begging I didn’t leave her. I held her close, tellin’ her I’d be back for her as soon as I could. I said I’d be back for her in two years for Jade and we’d get a home with all the animals she wanted. I can still hear her little voice, beggin’ me to not go. I see her for four whole years.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I got off the train in New Orelanes, headin’ straight to the house I left her at. The reason I used gold from the Jap’s teeth is cause I wanted to sell them so I could get money for the house, for Jade. I had been gone for so long and she would be older. I never got any letters from ma’ boss or Jade. I arrived at da’ house I left her the next morning, and was greeted with ma’ boss. I remember she looked at me like he had seen a dead body. I felt ma’ whole stomach drop ta da ground, fearing the worst. He brought me in and sat me down on his poarch, offering me a cigarette. He told me that two years back that Jade died in a car accident. They tried sendin’ me letters, but they got lost. The only piece of family that I had left was gone. I was all alone. I remember walkin’ into the kitchen and destroying everythin’ that was there. I had glass in my hands, I couldn’t handle that she was gone.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The next month, ma boss gave me Jade belongings. It wasn’t much except her diary, the mason jar with money, and a metal star topper she had outta scrap metal. She also had given me a paycheck, wishing me the best of luck in life. It was enough to buy a shit little house in New Orleanes. I couldn’t be there no more, reminded me too much of Jade. I used some of da money to buy a truck and packed a bag, drivin’ to Wyoming. I’ve been livin’ here for six years in this cabin, all by myself. As the years go on, nothin’ changes for me. I sit, sleep, eat, and hunt all alone. The war damaged me. I didn’t have much left in me before it, but I had lost ma’ mind. I moved here to starta new life. I didn’t wanna be ‘round anyone after Jade died, but when I saw you..I...I…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene turned over, hearing Snafu choke on his own words. Tears were streaming down his face. This was the first time that Snafu had ever seen him in such a vulnerable state. He was shaking, holding back a sob. Seeing his sensitive state, Eugene pulled him to his chest, kissing his curls. Snafu broke down, sobbing into Eugene’s chest. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sshh. Don’t cry, sweetheart.” He hushed, stroking his curls. “Your ok. Your not alone. Jade’s always lookin’ out for her big brother. She’ll never be gone, she’s always lookin’ out for you.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Cajun looked up at the deer boy as he wiped tears from his milky eyes. “S-she would’ve loved you.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene subtly smiled, kissing Merriell’s cheek. “I’m your family. Deacon’s your family. Burgie’s your family. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Were your family, Snafu</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene and Snafu held each other close. Snafu eventually stopped crying as he fell asleep, Eugene stroking his hair and giving him small pecks. After Jade died, he had lost his sanity. Training Burgie, a young and naive boy who had lost family as well, had given him back some humanity. Deacon was not only a dog, but someone he considered a friend and son. Eugene was his love, his light, his everything. It wasn’t much, but for Snafu, it was everything. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu didn’t feel alone anymore. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-----</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The next morning, Burgie and Snafu headed into town. Burgie had killed a bison that was roaming there territory, which happened to be a bid from </span>
  <em>
    <span>The Sleeping Indian.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Snafu didn’t want to go and socialize with everyone there, but Burgie wanted to. He had a plan that had been thought of an hour after they woke up. Burgie said if they brought the bison, then Leckie would take them into the private lodge room, where Snafu saw the deer head. Burgie had also mentioned that Leckie was more secretive and he felt like he was definitely </span>
  <em>
    <span>hiding. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Was it a good idea?</span>
  <em>
    <span> Not at all, but curiosity always killed the cat. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After an hour drive, the Cajun drove up to the back of the lodge to drop off the Bison Hide. They (unfortunately) entoucered Leckie and Runner. Snafu swore that Runner was staring at him with daggers in his eyes. Burgie tried to play everything off like nothing had happened a week ago. Leckie apologized for leaving him behind and assumed that he stayed with Snafu. Burgie was beginning to see why Snafu hated Leckie; he had a facade. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I'll split the money for the checks. Runner will take you to the back.” Leckie patted the boys back, both squeezing them. Burgie and Snafu looked at eachother, knowing that tension was growing high. Runner lead them to the private lounge, closing the door behind them. All of the lights were on in the room, showing off the greatest hunts and private bar. It was the same bar Snafu remembered being in since the human deer head looked at him with</span>
  <em>
    <span> those haunting blue eyes</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Burgie couldn’t believe he was seeing it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fuckin’ hell,” Burgie murmured under his breath. He felt like the blue eys were burning into his soul. He had a fair share of taxidermy back home, but having a human head on the wall sent shivers down his spine. “I’m all for it, but this is just flat out creepy. Leckie’s lost his damn mind.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu stood behind him, looking at it. He walked around, trying to see if it had any scars, but it didn’t. At Least it confirmed that the deer boy wasn’t Sid, the head was too large and muscular to be young. “I’ve been tellin’ that to you for years, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Ti</span>
  </em>
  <span>. But this is crossin’ the line.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu walked to the bar to steal some of the Bourbon (since nobody was there to see). The short man walked around the room as he looked at all of the other deer and antelope they had hunted. At first, he heard scratching. He shrugged them off, assuming that they were from upstairs. But he was wrong. Hearing it from behind the wall, he followed it to behind the fireplace, noticing a little door. Peering it open, it led to a dark, steep staircase and hallway. Burgie called Snafu over, showing where the sound was coming from. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What the hell is that? Didn’t know this place wassa maze.” Snafu remarked. The short man grabbed a flashlight from his belt and began to walk down. Snafu saw this and tried to stop him (being responsible for once), but eventually followed him. Burgie led the way for the most part. The hallway was dark and long, looking like an abandoned set of a horror movie. He knew they weren’t supposed to be down here, but he could care less. At this point, Burgie had no idea what was going on or who to trust. His country life had turned into some soap opera.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The scratching noise had become louder as they walked down the hallway. They reached a door at the end of the hallway. Burgie put his ear up against the door, saying it sounded like an animal. Hoarding animals in a dark cellar was illegal and wrong. Whatever was in was clearly injured.  Snafu was of course curious and tried to pry the door open, but it was locked. Kicking the door down, they were greeted with pitch darkness. The scratching noises had stopped and there was total silence. Maybe it was nothing after all. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu sighed, looking around. “There’s nothin-“ </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Burgie grabbed Snafu’s shoulder, shining onto a corner behind the door. In the corner was a tall boy, with dirt and blood covering his pink skin. His eyes were squinty and blue and chapped lights. His dirty blonde hair had been stained with blood and grease. There were antlers sticking out of his head but then had been ripped off, leaving bloody stubs. Seeing the light, he backed up against the wall like a cowering child. It didn’t help that Burgie cursed, drooping the light onto the ground. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The two men were in shock with what they saw. It happened too quickly for them to process what was in front of them. Stepping forward, Snafu grabbed the light and shined in onto the dirty boy. He noticed that there was a small scar on his right cheek, covered in dirt. Turning to Burgie, he muttered, “It’s Eugene’s friend..” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Bullshit!” Burgie spat, looking at him. He saw the ripped horns, the white fur tail, and the white freckles decorating his body. He was one of those deer people. But unlike Eugene, he looked like an abused animal who was starved and beaten. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The boy in the corner noticed them talking, and had heard a familiar name. Even if he was petrified, he yelled, “Hey! Who did you say that was…” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu turned his head, looking at Burgie before looking at the deer boy. “Eugene...red hair, brown eyes...are yah Sid?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The boy in the corner, who’s name was Sid, slowly nodded in response. He didn’t trust humans one bit. But these humans didn’t come in and treat him like he was dirt. Even if they were nice with him, he was still intimidated by them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“W-Where is he? Is he alive?” Sid asked as his shoulders relaxed, keeping his distance. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu responded, “He is. It’s a long story, but he’s doin’ fine.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you keepin’ him here to?” The squinty eyed man questioned. He thought it was customary that humans kept deer like circus animals. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, no. He’s at my cabin.” The Cajun confirmed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sid couldn’t believe it. Eugene was alive. God had listened to his prayers. It was the first hope he had in captivity. But it seemed too good to be true. He needed to see and </span>
  <em>
    <span>feel. </span>
  </em>
  <span>“I’ll believe you If I see him then,” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Burgie turned to Snafu, shaking his head. “You crazy? We can’t bring him with us.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu looked at Sid, who was begging with his eyes to leave. His eyes had glittered with hoope hearing Eugene’s name. As a hunter, whatever the club had been doing was inhumane. God knows what other things they were doing behind the scenes, keeping other people like Sid in small rooms and starving them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Have you seen him? He’s being treated like a-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Burgie interrupted him. “Leckie’s gonna have our heads findin this out. We’re in deep shit already, Snafu.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Where the hell is yer head, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Ti?</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Snafu argued, in whispers so Sid wouldn’t worry. “It’s Eugene’s friend. How the hell do we tell him that he left his friend to die? What If that was one of yer sisters? Would you leave one of them to die just because of some prissy hunter?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The short man </span>
  <em>
    <span>hated</span>
  </em>
  <span> that Snafu had a point. The poor boy had probably thought the unimaginable. Looking over at Sid and seeing the stubs which were once antlers sent chills down his spine. What if that was his family? Leaving them there to die. Burgie wouldn’t be able to live with the guilt of leaving someone behind. A sigh escaped his lips before he nodded at Snafu for the okay to go. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Cajun turned over to Sid. “Listen, come with us and you’ll see Eugene. We won’t hurt you. Nobody will.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>All he wanted was to leave this place. He had barely thought about this choice. His mind was only on his best friend and his safety. Sid gently pushed himself up, before falling back down. He winced in pain from all of the blisters and cuts under his feet. The men had hurt him to the point where he could barely walk. Snafu and Burgie ran over to him as they threw Sid’s arms over their shoulders. As they did this, the two men heard the door open and distant voices. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Shit.” Sid cursed, fear in his eyes. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>It’s them.” </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Running out of the room, the three men turned to the right and began running the opposite hallway. They had no idea where they were going, but anything to get away from the distant voices. Hearing the voices get louder and the footsteps get faster, they were all freaking out. Burgie had noticed light emerge from a closed door at the end of the maze hallway. Making a full sprint, Snafu (once again) kicked the door open. It let out to the back of the lodge with the snow covered mountains and clear sky in range. Not daring to look back, the men ran like hell was chasing them. Spotting Snafu’s red truck, they put Sid into the back seat and swerved off. What they had done was absolute chaos. Sid looked behind them and out the window, seeing and breathing fresh air. The cool air and the warmth of the sun was all he asked for. He was finally free. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-----</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was no way they could keep Sid in Snafu’s cabin. Sid had too many injuries and if anything were to happen (such as Leckie swinging by) it would be disastrous. It wasn’t the most ideal situation, but Burgie had offered that they could take Sid down to the ranch and hide him there. What was good about </span>
  <em>
    <span>The Red Rock Ranch</span>
  </em>
  <span> is that it was nestled deep into the tetons. It required driving down a dirt for twenty minutes before arriving at the end of the road, which was the ranch. It made Snafu’s cabin look like it was suburban. Upon driving near the main house, Burgie was greeted with his mother who was pestering him about why he had disappeared for a week. It changed subjects when they showed Sid, who was brought immediately to inside the house. Snafu tried to follow, but Burgie had stopped him. He said that once his mother found the stumps on his head, she would freak. He had told him to not to worry and to get back to Eugene since he knew that danger was coming. Burgie had also mentioned that if there were any issues, then they could come stay at the ranch. Snafu hopped back into his truck and drove out of the ranch to go back to Eugene. One of Burgie’s sister’s had sat on the bridge that led down the dirt road, watching him as he drove away. The young girl saw the sheer panic and stress in Snafu’s eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>From what had seemed like an eternity, Snafu finally arrived back at the cabin. Upon walking in he was greeted with Deacon and Eugene. Eugene had been playing records as he was starting a fire. He immediately saw the panic in Snafu’s eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thank god your back. Where the hell did you go?” Eugene chided, walking over. Snafu didn’t tell Eugene about his trip since he didn’t want to worry him. He looked behind him and didn’t see Burgie. “Where’s Burgie?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu didn’t even know where to begin. Suddenly, the phone rang.</span>
  <em>
    <span> It never rang</span>
  </em>
  <span>. The only people that called were </span>
  <em>
    <span>The Sleeping Indian</span>
  </em>
  <span>.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Gene, how long as that phone been ringin’?” Snafu looked behind him, watching it ring. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene turned to the phone and back to Snafu. “It’s been ringing non stop for an hour. Your scaring me, Snaf..”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu knew that it was none other than Leckie. He knew that they had found that Sid was gone. There was no way he could just leave him. </span>
  <em>
    <span>No man ever got left behind</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Seeing Eugene’s fear, he walked over and cupped his face. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Listen, darlin’. I don’t wanna worry yah but…” He sighed as his finger caressed his cheek. “It’s alot ta’ unpack. I might’ve done somethin’ that upset Leckie. By I mean upset, I mean </span>
  <em>
    <span>very upset.</span>
  </em>
  <span>” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene raised an eyebrow, placing his hands on top of Snafu’s. “Whaddya mean? Snafu, please tell me.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Me n’ Burgie found a deer boy. They were holdin’ him captive. We took him out and..” The phone interrupted him, ringing for the hundredth time. Eugene looked at the phone, now realizing the trouble they were in. The hunters were not only after him, but Merriell and Burgie. “Now were wanted men in the huntin’ world.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The red head was taken aback by the response. A fellow deer boy? It could possibly be Sid. But he remembers hearing the gunshot that day. Maybe they had kidnapped a fellow deer while hunting. Regardless, Eugene needed to know who it was. He had lost his hope for Sid as each day dragged on, but this one glue was a break in the mystery. Merriell’s hand had trailed down as Eugene held them. “Who is it?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I dun know..” Snafu lied. Why did he lie. He didn’t trust the man they had picked up. Deer didn’t survive gunshots. What if the squinty eyed boy had played an act just to get a free escape. It didn’t matter now. Not only did they have one deer boy, but two deer boys with heavy bounties on their pretty little heads. “But we gotta leave. Burgie hassa ranch not far from ‘ere. It’s only for a few days, it’s a safe place. The deer boy is ‘dere, was tortured by ‘dose men.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You saved him from them…” The redhead noticed, blushing. Merriell was so used to killing deer, but now he was saving them from the very men he had worked with. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu nodded, squeezing his hands. “Jus’ likea did with you, Cher. I couldn’t leave him, just like with you…” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The phone ringing interrupted their peaceful moment. It alerted Snafu that they had to take action. The two men packed a bag and threw Deacon into the red truck as they headed for </span>
  <em>
    <span>The Red Rock Ranch</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Eugene looked outside of the window as Deacon curled into a ball on his lap. It had been months since he had seen somebody like him; a human with antlers. He had become so adjusted to humans. Within the months, Eugene’s life had been turned upside down. Now he was a man with a human boyfriend, a dog, and a hunting club after him. His new life came with many blessings and curses. But that didn’t matter how. He hadn’t thought of Sid since he was so preoccupied with his lover. He had told himself that Sid had died, even if there was a slick of hope that he was alive. But this time, maybe Eugene’s gut was telling him the truth. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Maybe Sid was actually alive.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>1.) <br/>Pour l'amour = For fuck's sake </p><p>2.) <br/>Mon Ange =My Angel</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter Nine</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Eugene reunites with his best friend Sid, which causes tension at the ranch. Sidney tells the tramua he faced with the hunters. Eugene is sick of Snafu sheltering him.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: mentions of abuse, violence, and gore descriptions. Fighting and yelling.</p><p>I know this is a few days late. I lost the inspiration to write and fell into a mini writer's block. Unfortunately, this will be the last of my speed updating. I start school in four days and I don't know what online school is going to hold. I'll try and update as much as possible during September, but I can't promise anything. I'm working on a few others fics at the moment, but I promise to stay focused on this one. This is 9k words, so I spoiled y'all with a dose of angst, fluff, etc. Hope you guys enjoy! ;-)</p><p>If you could leave a comment or a kudos, I'd really appreciate it. Thank you!</p><p> </p><p>-Carrie</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Eugene had never seen such tiny humans before. Yes, he knew that they were children, little girls for the matter with there curly pigtails and big eyes. Burgie had three younger sisters who ranged in age. He wasn’t sure of the other two’s names, but knew the older one as Diana since she was helping Burgie with farm work. Like Burgie, she was petite and sinewy, but could never shut her mouth (in Burgie’s words). It proved to be true. She could always try to squeeze questions out of him or Snafu such as “why do you have horns?”, “why are you here?”, or “are you and snafu...y’know?”. It made Eugene embarrassed, turning away as Burgie or his mother, Gloria would drag her out. The other two, both pubescent, would follow Eugene around. He had no idea how to talk to them, afraid of two little girls. But he eventually warmed up to them, finally learning that their names were Lucy and Cassie. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After moving some of the chopped wood into the lodge space, Eugene noticed that the youngest sister, Lucy, was having trouble getting a game on the shelf. She was extremely small with a round face, jumping up to reach. He walked over and used his slender arms to grab the game and hand it to Lucy. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lucy always had a shocked expression on her face. Looking up at the deer boy, she nodded, “Thank you. Wow, you’re tall. I wanna be as big as you!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene wasn’t very tall, five’eleven was the average male height. But then again, Burgie’s family was on the shorter side. Burgie was five’four, but considered “tall for his family”. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene smiled at the young girl, patting her brown curls. “Lucy, your perfect the way you are.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But I wanna reach for high places like you!” She cried in response, following him to the patio. “Burgie can’t reach that high.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>God, she was right. Burgie had to stand on his tippy toes in order to reach for something. He held back a chuckle, not wanting to be mean. “Your nine. You’ll grow, I promise.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lucy huffed in response, holding the board game to her chest. Living life on the ranch was mundane. Her only friends were her siblings since her mother (and occasionally Burgie) would homeschool them. With Eugene, it was totally different. Seeing a new person, especially with antlers and a cottontail, made the little girl follow him around. Eugene was scared of her at first, but grew to find her adorable. Lucy reminded Eugene of a young Sid; needy and playful. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Can you play Candy Land with me? Please?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He looked down, nodding at her. It wasn’t like he had anything important to be doing. “I’ve never heard of that game before, but sure.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She smiled with all her sad thoughts turning into happy ones. Out of all the sisters, Lucy resembled Burgie the most with her small yet infectious smile. The young girl dragged his hand and put him on the couch and began explaining. “Well, ‘dis is easy…” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene was relaxed, worry-free for the first time in a few days. Gloria wasn’t letting anyone see the deer boy since his injuries were apparently servers. All Eugene wanted to do was see if it was Sid. He didn’t care how scared or hurt he was, to see someone like him would make his day. Two weeks had gone by and no one had said anything to Eugene about the deer boy. All he knew is that he was in and out, recovering from his horrible injuries. It frustrated and upset him. Eugene was sensitive to everything around him, knowing that he is a wanted man by hunters. </span>
  <em>
    <span>And it was all for being a deer, and nothing more. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Meanwhile, Snafu was not relaxed. In fact, he’s on the verge of destroying another glass plate. He had gone through three packs of cigars in the past three hours, guarding the area. He had been keeping his rifle by his side, every day, every hour. He refused to have Eugene be alone, always checking in on him. Gloria had been doing all she could for the deer boy. The only good news was that he was breathing and his injuries had been healing. The blonde had suffered a sprained ankle, blisters all over his feet and arms, burns on the bottom of his feet and arms, and much more. It was nothing physically horrible, but mentally it affected him. The deer boy refused to speak. Burgie and Snafu tried to knock information out of him, but he wouldn’t quip. Even if they brought up Eugene, he’d look away as his hands clenched the sheets. Gloria assumed that he was scared of them since his previous experience with humans was traumatizing. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hearing the door open and close, Snafu turned around to see Burgie exit the main house. He looked exhausted, letting out a sigh. Snafu offered him a cigar with Burgie thanking him. The two men took a moment of peace and smoked, looking at the Tetons surrounding the ranch. The only ones who were there were them. For now, at least. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Mama thinks the only way he’ll talk is with Eugene.” The short man states, letting smoke trail out of his mouth. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu turns over, quirking an eyebrow. “But what if he’s not Sid? What if he lied to get outta ‘der? Fuck, what if he’s Gene’s fiancé? If he is, I’ll make him feel the same way Gene did.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Snaf,” Burgie rubbed the bridge of his nose, sighing. “Your ovethinkin’ dis. I know we’re all on edge, but it might be the only way we get anythin’ out of him is with Eugene. Mama says he’s gotta white tail, horns, the freckles, every thin’ like Eugene. You heard him back at da lodge, </span>
  <em>
    <span>if he sees gene he’ll believe us</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Even if he is the fiancé, he might know somethin’. You can’t hide Eugene from the world, y’know.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The whole world is after us, god damnit!” He snapped. “I don’t trust him one bit. He talked to us at the ranch and is now going all silent on us. Don’t you think that’s fuckin odd?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes but,” Burgie argued, “He’s scared, just like we all are. Poor man’s overwhelmed and scared. Wasn’t Eugene like that?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu hesitated. He hated how Burgie would make him stop and think about his actions. One of his core memories was meeting Eugene. His hazel orbs widened, shaking, crying, and backing away from him. The redhead barely spoke until Snafu gave him a gift. Even then, Eugene only spoke small words and formed sentences by Thanksgiving. Before Eugene ran away, he admitted to being scared of him since he was a human. After all, a human did shoot Eugene in his leg. But with time, Eugene warmed up to Snafu and managed to socialize with other humans like Burgie and Lucy. Snafu was selfish, he knew that. But when he met people he cared about, he was all over them. He wanted them to himself, and only himself. He was treating Eugene like that. But it was different since he was his boyfriend, he was in </span>
  <em>
    <span>love </span>
  </em>
  <span>with him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fuck, he was. But you sure he’s ready to see another deer?” Snafu asked.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Burger shrugged his shoulders, just as uncertain as Snafu was. “Beats me. But it’s worth a shot to get him talking, it might give him comfort. He’s better than he was two weeks ago, but still shaky. As you would say, you gotta shoot the shot.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A small smirk curved on the curly-haired man’s face, nudging the short man’s shoulder. “You read ma journal?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Got through ‘da chicken coop handwriting, so guess I did.” He jested. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh..</span>
  <em>
    <span>Ça c'est bon</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Snafu admitted, seeing Burgie hold back a childish chuckle before letting loose. Burgie was a cheeky little bastard. But through his hardest times, Snafu has been there for him. When he cried about missing his father frustrated at not being able to hit a target, Snafu took on the role of a brotherly figure. Hell, he practically raised him when his struggling mother couldn’t. But the reason he had a little humanity was for Burgie, the loveable cheeky bastard that he was.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>———</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Where are we going?” Eugene asked, following behind Snafu. Him and Lucy were playing an intense round of Candy Land when Snafu barged him, telling him to come with him. It was nearly impossible to get to Lucy to stay. She was </span>
  <em>
    <span>attached </span>
  </em>
  <span>to Eugene like a mother to its child. Snafu didn’t blame Lucy, who didn’t love to be around Eugene? She whined and cried to come, but Eugene had told her that he would be back. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Main house. The deer boy won’t talk at all, he’s bein’ stubborn.” Snafu explained as they walked down the man-made road, covered in heavy snow. “His mama came in with a synergie and he lost it. Threw a cup at her.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene’s face melted with worry. He hadn’t heard much about the deer boy. Sid would never use violence, but Percy would. His thoughts began to race. What if they had saved Percy. “Is she okay?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“She’s fine, a lil’ shaken. She thinks he’s scared,” Snafu attempted to reassure him, but he knew that Eugene was one to easily worry. He noticed that he was only wearing a hunter green flannel. It was huge on his frail figure. Sliding off his field coat, Snafu draped it over his shoulders as a way of comforting him. Eugene noticed and turned to him, taking it off. Snafu stopped him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“ ‘s cold outside.Yer gonna get sick.” He mimicked Eugene. Eugene gave up and huffed. The coat smelt like Snafu and he wasn’t complaining. He silently huffed, wrapping the larger coat around him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Arriving at the main house, Burgie had been leaning on a pole and noticed the two men walking up. He walked towards them, looking drained. “Thank you y’all are here.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What’s goin’ on?” Snafu asked, crossing his arms. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He’s not talking. My mama tried to go near him, but he didn’t respond. Just looked away. He wasn’t angry, she couldn’t tell.” Burgie sighed. “I think if we send Eugene in on his own, talk to the de-“</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Overa’ ma dead body.” He spat. Eugene stood beside him, cursing under his breath. He knew his boyfriend would do something like this. “Sendin’ ‘im alone with sum violent deer boy? What if he throws a glass at Eugene?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Burgie rolled his eyebrows, groaning, “I know it ain’t ideal, but if we t-“ </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Cajun man had lost his last nerve. Sending Eugene in by himself was the tipping point. He walked over, getting right into Burgie’s face. The short man was taken aback and stepped backwards, nearly losing his footing on the ice. Snafu had a stare of death mixed with annoyance. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He ain’t goin’ in there alone”. He growled. Eugene speed up behind Snafu, placing a hand on his shoulder. A small squeeze caused Snafu to look over, his face melting. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m goin’ in there, </span>
  <em>
    <span>alone.</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Eugene corrected. He began walking past the two in an annoyed rage. He could hear Snafu telling him to stop and Burgie saying to come back. He was done listening to others. All his life, he had been treated like he was made of glass. Everyone knew him as weak and unable to fight for others, let alone himself. But he was no longer a boy, but a man. Opening the door to the main house, he saw Gloria, pacing around the mudroom. Gloria noticed him and wanted to speak but Eugene beat her to it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s okay. I’m gonna try and talk to him.” He reassured. “Just don’t let Burgie or Snafu come through.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She nodded and said something back to him, but Eugene has blurred it out. He didn’t even need to ask Gloria what room he was in. They had put him in the fairest corner of the house, away from the sisters, so he wouldn’t cause harm to others. Walking up the stairs, Eugene clenched his fists. It seemed too good to be true for it to be Sid. Sid </span>
  <em>
    <span>would never </span>
  </em>
  <span>hurt a woman or be that erratic. He wasn’t scared of people, he was a social butterfly. People who acted out were selfish and arrogant; just like </span>
  <em>
    <span>Percy</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Percy was like a teenager stuck in a man’s body; immature, crude, and every negative trait. Just thinking about him made his blood boil. Living with Snafu (and humans) changed his perceptive. It showed him to a cruel world and ripped his hanging innocence away. If it was Percy, he was ready to confront him. Tell him that he was better without him. Heck, even punch him. Seeing the light at the end of the room, Eugene walked towards and spun around. He was about to say some snarky remark, but he was at a loss for words. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>The blonde curly hair, the ocean blue eyes, the small scar on the right side of his face. It was fucking Sidney. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene felt his whole chest drop. Sid, if he has real, looked up at him with a face of shock. There was no way it could be him. It seemed to good to be true. Sidney looked more skinny, and bruised. He had noticed a few cuts decorating his arms and that his signature antlers seemed shorter. The stubs were jagged, covered by a bandage on his head. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Greaser..?” He murmured. Instead of saying his name, their childhood nicknames came to mind. The only person he knew it was him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Genie…” Sid responded, his voice dry and weak. He had tears forming at his eyes. It wasn’t long before Eugene had run over and hugged him, holding him close. Sid accepted the hug back, sobbing into Eugene’s shoulder. The two boys cried, mourning each other’s loss. Nothing mattered at the moment. All that did was that they were together. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Y-you told me to run. I-I thought you d-died…” Eugene sniffled, looking straight into Sid’s blue eyes. “I spent night’s thinkin’ about it. It haunted me.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sid chuckled, holding his face as he wiped a tear away. “I’m here now. I ain’t leave you again.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene softly chuckled, feeling Sid pat his broaden shoulders. He had been wearing Snafu’s coat, which was a little short but rather large on him. He wasn’t familiar with clothes until living with humans. At first they were uncomfortable, feeling hot in all of the warm cloth layers. But he eventually accustomed to Human life. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hearing a noise by the door, Eugene and Sid’s heads tilted to the door to see Burgie, Snafu, and Gloria. He felt Sid shudder and slid back, but Eugene squeezed his shoulder. Sid has been traumatized by humans; he was shaking and whimpering, </span>
  <em>
    <span>just like Eugene had done. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Cupping the blue eyed’s faces, Eugene softly smiled and reassured him. “There friends. They won’t hurt you. I promise.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As Eugene held and comforted Sid, he looked over with annoyance, telling them to stay back. Gloria didn’t argue, not wanting to upset the poor boy. Nobody knew the terrors that Sid faced in the cellar. Burgie couldn’t get the imagine of that horrible place and Sid’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>burns </span>
  </em>
  <span>out of his head. Sid reminded Snafu of a prisoner of war; bloodied and beaten. He was getting better, but light bruises and small scars were still present on his body. Sid would corporate with Gloria, but hadn’t spoken a single word since his break from the cellar. He was always shaking and backed away from any human who looked at him. But with Eugene’s comfort, the tensions that gone away (for the most part). </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“T-they didn’t m-mark you?” Sid fretted. Eugene was confused, raising an eyebrow. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene shook his head, “No, they’re nice to me and you. What do you mean...mark?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Pulling the covers down and lifting his pajama shirt up, Sid revealed a horrible scar. The humans had branded him; leaving a burn mark on his hip. It was deep and crisp, looking like it had been </span>
  <em>
    <span>carved </span>
  </em>
  <span>by a poker stick. Eugene gasped not in horror, but in shock. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Sid must have gone through hell while he got off easy</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Burgie cursed under his breath while Snafu stood, in horror. War was not easy; he remembers blood being splattered on his face and angry Japanese curses like it was yesterday. But demons call in all shapes and sizes. Sid was just like Eugene; scared. He had perfect reason to be. God knows what he had been through. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m so sorry. This is all my fault…” The red head sniffled, looking down in embarrassment. “I should’ve never ran away from you. I’m so selfish.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Eugene, </span>
  <em>
    <span>your not.” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Sid confirmed, squeezing his hand. “I’m beat up, but those men…” He darted his eyes to Burgie and Snafu, pointing at them. “Saved me. They could’ve hurt me, but they dragged me out…” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The redhead turned to the men, he felt a blush creep up his cheeks as he looked into Snafu’s seafoam eyes. “There good humans, they won’t hurt us. I promise you.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But the scar didn’t leave Eugene’s mind. He kept noticing it every time he looked at Sid. Looking at this best friend he said, “What happened in there?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sid looked down, sighing with discomfort. He looked like he was about to burst into tears. This was a side of Sid that Eugene had only seen a few times. He so used to seeing Sid throw punches and be cocky, not whimper and cry. Regardless, he wanted to support his best friend. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gloria interrupted the moment, “I’ll get tea!” And hurried off. She knew it was something that comforted Sid. It made him sleepy and relaxed whenever she would have to change his bandages. It was also a signal for her son and Snafu to leave the room, which they did, but eavesdropped.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“They shot me in my chest. Missed my lung. It was painful, and I blacked out. I remember waking up next to a burnin’ fire, and these two men. It was the same one from last time that was checkin you out, with two other men. They offered me some bourbon, treatin me like...I was a guest. One of them said he liked my antlers a lot. No matter how nice they were, I knew it seemed fishy.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“They kept askin’ ‘bout you. Where you had run off to, and if there were others like us. I kept my silence, resfusin’ to say anythin’. I was worried if you had survived or not. One of the men said he had shot you in your knee, but your body wasn’t found. For two months, I thought you died. I tried to save you, but..” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The blue-eyed man began to choke at his words. Seeing his pain, Eugene squeezed his hands as a way of comfort. He wanted him to know that it was okay. Eugene didn’t care about anything else except that they were reunited in this chaos. A small smile appeared on Sid’s face, squeezing his hand back. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“When the alpha (Eugene assumes it was the infamous Leckie) didn’t like what I said, he dragged me to the cellars. He left me there for days with little water and food. It was too dark to see the men, but they would come in and beat me up until I would give them answers. But I didn’t. I yelled back in there faces, tellin’ then I’d impale them with my antlers. They dragged me up to this white room, put me on a table and..” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sid moved his hand to the top of his head, feeling the uneven stubs that were once his antlers. They were growing back at a slow and uneven rate. The one thing that he cherished about himself was ripped away from it. His antlers represented his confidence and manhood. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sid..” The redhead sighed, looking at his antlers. “I had no idea. I’m so sorry…” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s ok. Your alive, that’s all that matters to me. You wouldn’t have wanna endured what I went through. I spent days in that cellar, bleedin’ and cryin’. I love life, but I was praying to god that he would kill me. It was a nightmare, everyday. I’d wake up to yelling and bruises, and fall asleep to it. It changed when those humans came in…” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know why they did it. But they picked me up and dragged me in this...car? Even if they are nice, humans can’t be trusted. After that they did to us, our people, there unforgivable.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene looked away, feeling conflicted about this. “I understand that. But the men who saved you want to help you. They want to help us, not hurt us. The woman who runs this harm is hiding us from them, giving us a roof over our heads. That’s what one of the hunters did with me. Took me into his home and treated me like I was a...</span>
  <em>
    <span>friend.” </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>This man, Snafu, did not treat Eugene like a friend, but a </span>
  <em>
    <span>lover. </span>
  </em>
  <span>He hated lying to his best friend. But it didn’t seem like Sid had the best look on humans, and for good reason. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I understand that. But..” Sid looked at Eugene, a serious look in his face. “What if they hang us up?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hang you up?” A voice came from the corner. The two boys noticed Burgie enter the room, a face of disgust. Sid looked nervous, but Eugene settled him down. “That’s not what we do here. Ya’ll are family. We’re gonna protect you from them. This place is far away from them. It just us out here. If they come here, then we’ll be ready for them.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene saw that Burgie was trying to comfort Sid. He was originally upset that he had almost hurt his own mother, but tried to use his heart. Sid was just like Eugene, scared and afraid. There lives were at stake. It’s not like any of them had ever done anything wrong. All they were being killed for his money because it was human greed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu, seeing that Burgie was trying to reassure the blonde deer boy, joined in. “He’s gotta point. But this place is safe, middle of nowhere. You got me, Burgie, Gloria,” His milky orbs connected with Eugene’s hazel ones. A subtle smile curved on his face, admiring him. He helt Sid close to him, like a mother comforting a child. What did he do to deserve such a beauty? Eugene was too good and pure for him. “And gene. Hessa’ sweet boy.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Now that the two men had talked, Sid seemed more relaxed than he was two hours ago. With Eugene here now, it would be different. Eugene seemed overjoyed to see his bestfriend, but sadden that he was so broken by the humans. But once Eugene was around Sid, Sid became intoxicated by Eugene’s voice that was music to Snafu’s ears. The way Eugene would sqeeuze his hand and playfully hit his chest made Snafu squirm. He was so glad to see Eugene happy for the first time in a few days. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Listen, I can promise me and my family are gonna protect you for as long as well can.” Burgie said. “But, Leckie’s got a whole army compared to us. We’re surrounded by mountains and land. We got guns, we have a </span>
  <em>
    <span>Snafu</span>
  </em>
  <span>. I promise your in good hands, boys.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sid thanked the two humans, now relived. He still didn’t like or trust humans, but these two seemed decent. If Eugene liked them, then Sid did. Burgie and Snafu exited the room to let Sid and Eugene talk in private. Dinner eventually came along and they all ate in the main hall. Sid decided to join them for the first time, and was surprised at how kind they were to him. They didn’t yell or hit him, but feed him and complimented them. Eugene seemed popular with the three young girls, who looked like Burgie. Overall, Sid had been feeling better with humans. Now being reunited with his best friend, it made him want to live again. With the help of his best friend, he returned to his room and bid him a goodnight, sleeping safe and sound. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>God had answered his prayers for Eugene’s well-being, Sid knew he would. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I can’t fucking believe you,” Eugene hissed as he slammed the front door open. He wasn’t one to lash out, but when he did he could truly be nasty. Storming onto the cold and icy road, he could hear Snafu trailing him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Whaddya mean? I didn’t think your were ready.” Snafu replied, grabbing his shoulder and walking infront of him. His response only added salt to the wound. Eugene’s face twisted with anger. He threw Snafu’s hands off of him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s what YOU thought! Not me, YOU!” He caterwauled, pointing a finger in his face. Eugene’s face began to turn as red as his hair. Not holding back, his yelling had become louder. “You treat me like I’m a child. That’s how everyone has treated me, like I’m made of glass and sensitive. You always think you can handle situations on your own because your “older” and “wiser”. Your the big bad hunter, scarin’ everyone around you. You didn’t see how Sid was scared. Instead of helping him, you left him a room and didn’t tell him anything or me, </span>
  <em>
    <span>his best friend.” </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The curly haired man huffed, refusing to give up. “I thought it was Percy! He never told us his name!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene spun on his heel to look at Snafu. Sid was right. No wonder he hated humans. “And even if it was, I would’ve been able to handle him. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I’m not a little boy</span>
  </em>
  <span>. You hid him because </span>
  <em>
    <span>you </span>
  </em>
  <span>thought it was smart. But your bein’ selfish because you’ll </span>
  <em>
    <span>NEVER </span>
  </em>
  <span>understand emotion.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Now, he was speechless. There was no way he could recover from it. Standing in front of the red head, Snafu mouth was open in shock. He hated how Eugene had knocked him down. He could see Burgie and his mother on the poarch, eavesdropping the conversation. Snafu hated that Eugene was right. He had exposed him for being selfish. Eugene was his everything to him, his </span>
  <em>
    <span>raision de vivre. </span>
  </em>
  <span>There was no denying that Snafu was selfish. He had no one else to care about but himself. But Eugene was someone he’d sacrifice everything for and protect to matter what. He had been trying to protect Eugene, but it was mere fear that drove him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After a cold silence, the curly haired man mumbled in embarrassment. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Cher</span>
  </em>
  <span>..” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>cher </span>
  </em>
  <span>me.” Eugene hissed with venom in his voice. He turned away, walking down the road to the little cabin they shared. Snafu simply stood and watched him march off. He wanted to say something to bring him back, but he couldn’t. It was better to not speak. Snafu had truly fucked up. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-----</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The cabin that Gloria and Burgie had gifted the couple was nice. The Red Rock Ranch had miles of land. The main house rested ontop of the hill while the cabin was secluded by a stream and bushes. After Eugene’s rant, Snafu had gone back up to the mainhouse and had a few drinks with Burgie. Every drink he was offered, Snafu turned down. When he drank, he was mean. He didn’t want to see Eugene run out again. Burgie had seen the whole fight and was worried about Snafu. His mother had warned him that Snafu was a dangerous man. He barely saw Snafu let his guard down. Burgie knew Snafu was a heavy smoker, but after seeing him go through two packs, he knew he had to say something. Over the years, Burgie had noticed that if Snafu would smoke a whole box of cigarettes in less than an hour, Burgie knew he was nervous. He had comforted him the best way he could, telling Snafu to talk to him in the morning. Not explain things out, but apologize for a misunderstanding. </span>
</p><p> </p><p><span>Snafu walked back to the cabin at midnight, entering the dark place. The only light came from the moonlight. Walking up the bedroom and turning on a light, he saw that the bed was empty. A pillow and blanket had been taken, but no Eugene. No sweet, beautiful Eugene curled </span> <span>up in a ball, hogging the blankets. Snafu looked at the empty sigh, letting out a sad sigh. He was able to finally sleep having Eugene by his side. It made him feel warm and safe, not cold and depressed. He changed and flopped into the bed, closing his eyes. The minutes dreaded onto hours. Turning to the clock, the neon green lights flickered two am. Snafu groaned into the pillow. This was the first night he hadn’t slept with Eugene, and he hated it. There was only one way he could solve his. </span></p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Pushing himself up, Snafu lit a candle and walked downstairs to the living room. He shined his light to see Eugene’s back on the couch, curled in a ball. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Eugene, please come ‘ta bed.” He begged. Eugene turned his head over and rolled his eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Go away.” The redhead sniffled. He was trying to hide it, but it was coming out. Snafu saw his sadness and cursed at himself. Oh god, he made Eugene cry! </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu put the candle on the coffee table and bent down, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. He carefully massaged it to comfort the younger boy. “Your not sleepin’ here, cryin’ yourself to sleep. You can sleep in the bed, I’ll sleep here.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do I have to repeat myself?” Eugene whinged, shaking off his hand. He wasn’t in the mood to be dealing with anyone. All he wanted to do was moan in his sorrows. “I said go away. I’m </span>
  <em>
    <span>fine</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Instead of getting a verbal response, Eugene felt two burly hands grasp at his legs and waist. He gasped, noticing Snafu was picking him up. As he began walking up the stairs, Eugene wiped his tears. “Put me down!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No,” Snafu said. “I don’t care if your mad. We can fight all we want, But There’s no way I’m not having you not sleep with me.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu carried Eugene into the bedroom and placed him onto the bed. He ran a hand through his ebony curls, hollering  “If were gonna have a fight, then let’s fuckin’ fight!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene couldn’t even look at Snafu. He looked down, his hands fiddling with the flannel sheets. He tried to hold back his sniffling, but he couldn’t. Snafu could see that he scared Eugene, again. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Fuck! </span>
  </em>
  <span>He thought. </span>
  <em>
    <span>What am I doin’ wrong?</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t wanna fight...” Eugene murmured. It took Snafu a second to respond before he sat next to him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu inhaled before sighing. “Look, I know what I was wrong, and i’m so so </span>
  <em>
    <span>so</span>
  </em>
  <span> sorry. I know yah don’t wanna hear beg, but I have too. I didn’t wanna hid Sid from you. When we first got ‘im, the poor boy was injured. Just like when I found you, afraid and hurt. We tried talkin’ to him but he refused to say anythin’, no matter what we did. Gloria thought it was best to let ‘im heal. We didn’t even know his name. Sid had a few outbursts not because he was angry, but he was scared. I thought it was Percy since you said he was violent and I just..didn’t wanna see you get hurt. I’m so sorry...”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Taking his eyes off the guard, the redhead looked over at Snafu. “I know, but i’m not a child. I know you were trying to protect me but..i can handle this. If it was Percy, I could have handled it. Just knowing that Sid was alone, beaten, and scared just makes me..” He froze at his words. He couldn’t imagine what his best friend had gone through. Those endless nights of crying alone, hurting in the darkness while he was cuddling with his lover. Seeing this, Snafu scooted closer and wrapped an arm around Eugene. Eugene slid his hand down to Snafu’s, playing with his calloused fingers. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I know…” Snafu confessed, “I just..feel like I need ta’  protect you…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene huffed, annoyed. “Damn it, Snafu. I can defend myself. My whole life everyone’s told me I’m weak..”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Weak? Oh Cher,” Snafu grabbed his chin, making him look into Snafu’s eyes. “I’m not saying your weak at all. You’re strong. Sid told me you kicked Leckie and that’s..pretty damn hot.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The redhead felt his cheeks burn up, letting out a soft chuckle. A devilish smirk curved onto Merriell’s face, pulling Eugene close to him. Their thighs were touching each others. Snafu inhaled Eugene’s vanilla scent, seeing him so flustered was adorable. “Listen, I did it because I love you. I want to protect you but I know I can be...um…” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Needy?  Eugene answered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wasn’t the exact word...but I guess so.” Snafu sighed. All he wanted to do was hold the deer boy close to him. “I just...haven’t even felt this way about someone before. Your young, beautiful and got time, but I never connected with someone. But the older you get, the lonelier you become. When I found you, you became </span>
  <em>
    <span>Ma raison de vivre. </span>
  </em>
  <span>I just don’t wanna see you hurt. I know your an adult, but all I wanna do is keep you to myself. I’mma </span>
  <em>
    <span>very </span>
  </em>
  <span>greedy man, cher.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Cajun’s hands moved down to Eugene’s hips, his grasp tightening around them. His lips began to suck at his soft neck that was decorated in white freckles. Eugene bit his lip as his hands tugged at Snafu’s curly locks. Eugene fell back as he left Snafu leave blue and purple marks on his neck. Snafu’s hands began pulling Eugene’s shirt up, revealing his white lily stomach. </span>
  <em>
    <span>No, they couldn’t do this. The Lion couldn’t court the lamb. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Eugene stopped Snafu’s thrist by grabbing his face, making his multichromatic orbs connect with his hazel ones. The older man’s hand pushed a stray piece of auburn hair to get a better view of his boyish face. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu had a gorgeous set of eyes that stood out in these dark features. They changed from seafoam to mind. His large, bug-like eyes burned into Eugene’s soul. He found them beautiful. Snafu was attractive in his own way. He wasn’t the norm for beauty, but he was in Eugene’s eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Your eyes are so gorgeous, sweetheart,” Eugene cooed, caressing his neck. Snafu titled his head into his hand, enjoying the compliments as his cheeks began to burn up. Nobody had ever referred to him as gorgeous. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu fell down right next to him. “Says the beauty right here.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Snafu, I’m being serious.” He chuckled, his fingers tracing the small scars on his arms. “You are very handsome. You’re attractive in an..exotic way.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu smirked, blushing. He tried to act cocky but felt like letting his guard down. He used to being the Lion, and was slowly becoming the lamb. He swore Eugene was going to be the death of him. “Stop lyin’.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not. Look at me.” Eugene held his face. “Your one of the most attractive men I’ve laid with, and only men I’ve ever laid with.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu, blushing like a schoolgirl, wrapped his arms around Eugene and pulled him close. “What did I do to deserve you?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The redhead chuckled before placing a kiss on Snafu’s lips. Snafu responded back by deepening the kiss. The two men fell asleep in each others. Snafu and Eugene finally fell asleep, entangled in each other’s arms. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-----</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>January slowly dived into February. It was still cold and icy, but the sun was shining more. Burgie and Snafu decided to go on a hunt for food. They had hunted two Grouse that would last them for a week. Crossing over the bridge, they arrived into the entrance of the red rock ranch. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How’s Sid doin by the way?” Snafu asked as he let out some cigarette smoke. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Better then he was a few weeks ago.” Burgie replied. “Mama says he’s walkin’ now and usin’ his words ever since Gene talked to him.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“‘Dat’s good.” Snafu said. “Your sisters are all over Eugene. They follow him around like lost dogs.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The short man chuckled at the response. His three younger sisters were intrigued by the redhead. They didn’t leave the ranch much so anything new was intriguing to them. “Guess so. Lil Lucy loves him a lot. I mean, who doesn’t love Gene. He’s a sweet boy. You got lucky, Snaf.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He looked at his friend and nodded, a smirk on his face. “I guess I did.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As they walked up the road to the mainhouse, they noticed two figures leave the house. Snafu squinted his eyes, seeing that it was Eugene and Sid. Eugene followed after Sid, saying something inaudible with a look of worry. Sid on the other hand was swiftly walking towards Snafu. The two hunters noticed and put down there kill.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Boys! Is everythin’ okay?” Burgie asked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sid, who walked up to Snafu, didn’t even respond. He pushed the curly haired man to the ground, holding the collar of his jacket to his face. </span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“YOU SICK FUCK! HOW DARE YOU! ” He hollered, spitting in his face. Burgie and Eugene ran up to Sid as they pulled him off. Snafu crawled back, in shock. The Sid he had first meet wasn’t the Sid he knew. He saw Sid as quiet and sweet, not cursing and spitting in his face. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Pushing himself up, the Cajun man asked “What the hell are you talkin’ ‘bout?”  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You know what I’m talking about!” He hissed. “Your groomin’ Eugene. The damn reason you took him in was so he could your little toy.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene cried, “Sid, that’s not tr-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Eugene! Have you seen humans?” He cut in. “There cold blooded, selfish monsters. That’s what your daddy says. They’ve killed Mary and our friends. Your not in love with him, he’s only usin’ you.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The first thought that came to mind was who Mary was. But it wasn’t important at the moment. “That’s not it. I know you don’t like us, but lemme tell ya’, I love Eugene more than anything in this world. Humans are selfish and cruel, but that’s the world. That’s life. I know you don’t like me that much, but I need ya’ to know that Eugene is everything to me. I would never use him or hurt him at all, I swear on ma’ life.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The blue eyed man stopped struggling in the restraint he was in, calming at the words. There was a small silence between them. Sid still had a look that he wanted to kill Snafu. Shaking out of Burgie and Sid’s hold, he pushed his blonde curls back. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ya’ll are the god damn same. That’s exactly what Percy said to me, always making excuses for his own selfish needs. ” He chuckled, backing away from all of them. He looked at Eugene, disappointed. “They brainwashed you, Eugene. I can’t believe you would defend the men who’ve killed our people for years on end.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene looked like a puppy that had been kicked to the curb. His voice croaked as he spoke, “Not all humans are monsters. I-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t speak. Just don’t.” Sid chided, venom in his words. He looked like he was on the verge of tears. There was nothing left to say. Spinning on his heel, he began to walk up the hill to the stables. Burgie tried to follow after him, but Eugene stopped him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“N-no,” Eugene stuttered, shaking his head. Burgie could see the distress in his face and voice. “Let him go. I tried to tell him but he was just...enraged...” He felt his face get warm and his vision blurry. Snafu came behind him, patting his shoulder in reassurance. Suddenly, Eugene fell down. His whole body felt weak. Falling to the icy ground, he left out a pained moan. Burgie and Snafu bent over, trying to comfort the redhead. He tried to hid his pain, but he couldn’t. His cries were loud and sloppy. Sid was his best friend and only friend. They never fought over such tiny things. But seeing Sid call him a traitor to his own people shattered Eugene. It was the tipping point. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A friend’s heartbreak was more damaging than a lover’s heartbreak.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-----</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Any sign of him?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene turned around to see Burgie, shaking his head. It had been hours since the fight. It was getting darker outside and Sid was nowhere to be found. Eugene was heartbroken and worried about his friend. Burgie walked out and patted him on the back. “You’re a good man. He’ll come ‘round.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene nodded and thanked him as he heard Burgie walk back inside and shut the door. Eugene watched the sun set into the mountains. He couldn’t stop thinking about Sid. Did Sid hate him now? Just thinking about him made his eyes tear. Snafu tried to comfort him, but he could simply burst into tears. If he was being honest, he couldn’t be around Snafu right now. As much as he loved him, just looking at his love made him think of Sid. The face that Sid had one of pure hate and sadness. He swore that he saw tears form at Sid’s eyes as he stormed off. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The door creaked open. Letting out a sigh, Eugene turned around to see who it was. “Snafu, please leave me al-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s jus’ me.” A small female voice said. Eugene noticed that it was Diana, Burgie’s younger sister. She was the eldest out of Diana and Cassie, but looked like she was twelve more than a fourteen year old. Diana was barley five foot with Burgie’s blue eyes and pink skin. Whenever she smiled, she looked exactly like Burgie. Out of the sisters, Eugene didn’t talk to Diana much. She was tasked with chores and worked like a mother was she feed the animals, took care of her sisters, made dinner, and many other things. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, sorry Diana.” He responded. She walked besides him, placing a cup of tea next to him. Looking down, he gave her a small smile and thanked her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You okay?” She questioned as she rested her chin on the palm of her hand. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene wanted to burst into tears. But he held himself together, nodding his head. “Y-yeah, all good.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Your a horrible liar.” Diana interrupted. “Your ears are all read. Mama says that’s when you can tell someone’s lyin. Is everything okay?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene huffed, looking down before giving in. He began to explain the events that happened earlier. She was young, but Eugene needed someone to vent to. Diana never spoke once and listened to him the whole way. Once he was done, Diana was amazed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wow...that’s a lot. I’m sorry.” Diana apologized.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene shrugged her shoulders, “Why are you apologizin’? You did nothin’ wrong.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Listen,” Diana interrupted him. “I know it ain’t my place, but this seems like a big misunderstanding. You gotta talk to him.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And say what? He hates me.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m sure he doesn’t. I get why he’s mad, I mean...Snafu has killed deer before. So has Burgie and every hunter I’ve met. I think he’s just upset and confused. Maybe if you sit down and explain-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I tried! He stormed out and spat on Snafu.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You gotta talk to him and clear this up. You and Snafu are forbidden lovers. I don’t know Snafu that well, but Burgie said he loves you. I’ve heard the way Snafu talks about you. That man is in love with you. Instead of tellin’ him everything at once, try and explain it out step by step. I know it’s hard, but..”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Diana stopped talking when she heard Eugene tilt his head down, breaking into crying. This wasn’t a time to be giving him advice. She pulled him close, trying to comfort him the best way she could. She may have not fully understood everything, but her job right now was to be a mother to Eugene. To comfort him. She stroked his red hair, whispering sweet comforts into his chest since he towered over her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu had been eavesdropping. He wanted to come to check on Eugene but heard Diana talking to him. He understood that she was trying to help, but Eugene was too emotional to talk to Sid. He refused to see Eugene worsen his friendship with Sid. Exiting out the backdoor, Snafu had heard enough. He was going to go talk to Sid himself. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-----</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was getting dark outside, and Sid was scared. Walking up that steep hill lead him to a farmhouse. It was abandoned with moss and vines decorating the outside. Being too afraid to walk forward, he hideaway in the farmhouse. Snafu had introduced him to cigarettes as a coping mechanism for the shots Gloria put in him. He knew they weren’t good for him, but he didn’t care at this point. Ever since him and Eugene encountered those hunters, there lives had been turned upside down. For two months he had been held captive and beaten and tortured beyond belief by humans. Upon being saved and reunited with his best friend, he finds out Eugene is </span>
  <em>
    <span>in love </span>
  </em>
  <span>with them. Sitting on the rock, a chuckle escapes his lips. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Love</span>
  </em>
  <span>. There was no way. How could someone love the person who was meant to kill them? </span>
  <em>
    <span>That’s what happened to Mary. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>All Sid wished for was for things to go back to the way there were. Humans seemed to destroy everything they touched. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sid noticed footsteps that became louder. Seeing a rifle drop to the ground, this person sat right next to him and pulled out a lighter for his cigarettes. Sid didn’t even have to look up, he could smell the scent of cigarettes off of Snafu. The blue eyed man didn’t want to attack him as he had no physical or emotional strength left. Pulling a cigarette out of his jacket, he couldn’t find his lighter. Cursing he patted his pants and tried to find it before Snafu intervened. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Here,” He mumbled, holding his lighter out. Sid quietly thanked him and used the lighter before putting the cigar back in his mouth. All he did was look to the ground. He couldn’t look at the man he had attacked hours ago. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Who’s Mary?” Snafu broke the silence. Sid tilted his head to see the side of his face. He saw the Cajun man blow cigarette smoke into circles and odd shapes. His head blanked for a second before the pain and guilt rush into his body. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“My Fiance.” He muttered, blowing out smoke. Just saying </span>
  <em>
    <span>his fiance </span>
  </em>
  <span>killed a piece of Sid on the inside as he clenched onto his cigarette. “She’s killed by buncha hunters before the night of our wedding. Eugene knew her from a family friend and put us up together. One of the kindest people I’d ever met. She had...a soft face and smelled like flowers. When I first saw her, I knew she was the one. When we both turned eighteen, we promised to get married. She promised to stay loyal, but she didn’t. One of her doe friends told me that she was...cheatin’ with me a hunter. Claimed that she would go out and fuck all these men. I refused to believe it. I didn’t find this out until she died. I can still see her body when I close my eyes…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s why I don’t trust humans. They’ve killed my fiance and friends. I can’t believe Eugene, out of all everyone, would love someone like you…” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The blue eyed man stopped for a second to think, and then spoke. “But...I see why.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu looked at him, angered but then shocked. His expression softened as he wanted to hear Sid speak. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Your not good at hiding your relationship. From the minute I saw Eugene again and he looked at you, I knew he was in love. His eyes sparkled looking at you. His tail perked up. Whenever I asked him ‘bout you, his face would get all red.” He smirked, earning a chuckle from Snafu. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He praised you, talked about you saving him. Whenever he talked about you..Eugene was different. I thought it was odd at first. What hunter says a deer from death? But..I pieced it together. He wasn’t like that with Percy once because he never loved him. With you, Eugene’s smitten with someone that cares for him. He loves you.” Sid concurred before looking at Snafu, who stared at him unable to respond. He smiled, before seeing a tear roll down his face. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t understand it. But when Eugene’s around you, he’s...happy.” Sid smiled, wiping his tears away. Snafu couldn’t tell if they were happy or sad. “Just please, take good care of him. Love him, protect him. If not, then I’ll throw you to the ground again.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu seemed confused at first, but understood. Sid was just as confused as he was. Humans were fascinating creatures. The reason Sid wasn’t scared of him was because he knew. He knew that Eugene loved him. A friend of Eugene was a friend of Sid’s. At first, the deer boy was angered at this. How could Eugene, a sweet boy, love a monster. But after pondering in the wilderness, he pieced it together. He may not have fully understood, but as long as Eugene was happy, then he was. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A small chuckle escaped from Snafu’s lips. He saw Sid, tearing up still. Sid reminded Snafu of a younger Burgie, who was different from the man he was today. When he first met Burgie, Snafu saw him as a mature young boy, yet hurting on the inside from loss. Burgie was supportive of others, but never knew how to handle his own emotions. But Burgie grew over the years into one of the best hunters he had known. Snafu snaked his arm around Sid’s shoulder, pulling him close as he patted his back. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Swear on ma’ life, Sid.” He murmured, patting mindlessly. “He’ll be okay. I promise.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Promise?” Sid sniffled. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu looked down at him, nodding. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“A promise is a promise.” </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-----</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sid couldn’t let go of Eugene. Snafu had brought him back from the abandoned farmhouse. Upon seeing him walk down the hill, Sid ran up to Eugene and embraced him. The two men cried in eachother’s arms. Snafu gave them privacy, returning to his little cabin. He changed into more comfortable clothes and smoked a pack as he awaited for Eugene. He had lite a few candles and started a warm fire. Hearing the door open, he saw Eugene enter in. There was a soft smile on his thin face, tears falling down. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Mon Ange</span>
  </em>
  <span>” A small curved onto his face as he saw Eugene walk in. Eugene noticed him and took off his coat, revealing a transparent white shirt. It showed off his freckled arms and thin body. His pink nipples pierced through the shirt. He walked over and sat right next to Snafu, wrapping his arms around him. The deer boy didn’t even say anything and just embraced the older man. Snafu swathed his arms around the red head. He buried his nose into his auburn locks, inhaling the intoxicating aroma. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Y’know, Sid told me ‘bout you when you were a lil’ boy,” He purred. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene got out of the hug and looked straight at his lover, sitting on his lap. He blushed red. “He did..?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You seemed like a lil’ devil. Playin’ in the mud and explorin the woods. Told me ‘bout the time when you lit Mary’s flowers on fire.” He smirked with his hand resting on Eugene’s lower back.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene huffed, “It was an accident! She was close to the fire and I tripped. I picked her new ones after.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu’s grip tightened around Eugene’s waist. He brought him close to his ear and purred, “I never knew you could be so naughty, Cher.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I-I’m not…” He stuttered, all flustered. He changed the subject. “What about you as a child.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s not important. I was boring.” The Cajun replied as he left small kisses on his knuckles. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Merriell” Eugene begged, looking serious. Whenever he said his real name, Snafu knew he meant business. His hands were wrapped around the Cajun with puppy eyes. Snafu couldn’t resist the boy. Letting out a sigh, dug into his pocket to pull out his wallet. Eugene rolled right next to him as his head rested on Snafu’s shoulder. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Pulling out the photo, it was definitely aged. It was a polaroid of a young girl and boy, smiling cheerily as they stood next to a tree. The quality of the photo wasn’t the best. Squinting his eyes, it was none other than a young Snafu and his sister Jade. Jade was tiny with curly pigtails, having a chubbier face than Snafu’s sharp jaw. Younger Snafu was a beautiful child. His hair was a curly mess with a toothy smile that missed a few teeth..”. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Issa photo of me and Jade. I forget how old I was.” He explained. “I looked lika’ mess.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene shook his head. He grabbed Snafu’s jaw, making him look at him. “Sweetheart, don’t say that. I bet you would have looked adorable with your crazy hair, chubby face, and a few missin’ teeth..” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t flatter me, cher.” He purred as he slid it into Eugene’s shirt. Eugene tried to take it back, but Snafu placed his hand onto his. He wanted to spoil Eugene with small gifts of himself. “Says the little devil himself.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, sure..” Eugene playfully rolled his eyes. “You scream trouble, Mister devil.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I guess I’m </span>
  <em>
    <span>le diable </span>
  </em>
  <span>to </span>
  <em>
    <span>Mon Ange.” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Snafu said. Eugene’s hazel orbs met with Snafu’s milky ones. They were green, reflecting the flames. Snafu felt Eugene’s warm hands cup his face before pulling him into a sweet and passionate kiss. Not being able to resist, Snafu fell into Eugene’s love spell. There had been so much pain, suffering, and loss in Snafu’s thirty years on earth. Eugene seemed to be a blessing in disguise. He questioned himself every night, asking God (if he existed) on how he deserved such a beautiful boy. But why question? Snafu stopped questioning and simply enjoyed Eugene’s sweet presence. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>The world was a cruel, yet beautiful place. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>1.)<br/>Ça c'est bon = That's good</p><p>2.)<br/>raision de vivre = reason for living</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter Ten</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Eugene struggles to choose between his family and Snafu. Snafu loves Eugene more than anything in the world and is struggling with the fact that he will have to let him go. Meanwhile, Leckie and his men have not given up the search for the deer boys.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hey guys! Hope your all doing well. I know I was a frequent updater but school is kicking my butt. Also, my depression is gradually getting worse so yeah ;( I'm enjoying the cold weather but I've just been feeling really unmotivated and upset. I come here or Tumblr and this place makes me cry of happiness. I'm missing the summer where I could just write and not have to worry about stupid Algebra. I can't promise anything but I'm gonna try and finish this story by October (early November at the latest). My updates are gonna get a little slower but it all depends once again. Sorry for the rant. Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy this chappie! It took me a while to write.</p><p>-Carrie</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Aim for where you're shootin’, not what you're shootin’.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene adjusted his position and released the trigger. His bullet flew above the target. It was closing into another month being on Burgie’s ranch. Much to Snafu’s distaste, Eugene wanted to learn how to shoot. If Sid and Burgie could, he didn’t see why he couldn’t. Snafu had insisted on teaching Eugene. Regardless, he pushed for it. He hated being treated like a child. Eugene wanted to prove that he could be just as strong as Snafu was. He was no longer a little boy, but a man. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene decided to take a break. He lowered the rifle and looked over to his partner, a sigh escaping from his lips. “I’m just a little frustrated, Snaf. I’m doing’ everything’ your telling’ me, yet I can’t hit the target.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Gene,” Snafu walked over to him, removing the cigarette from his lips. “Let me help you. I know you don’t want it, but just a lil’ help wouldn’t hurt, no?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Wanting to hit the target, Eugene agreed. The two men walked over as Eugene adjusted his position. Eugene placed the butt on his shoulder as leaned onto the safety. Snafu snaked behind him as he moved his arms upward. “Gotta stand uppa’ lil straighter. You don’t wanna be hunched to much.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As Eugene straightened his position, Snafu smiled as he moved back to see his straighter and more confident hunting pose. The lamb was becoming the lion. “‘Dats ma’ boy. Lookin good!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene smiled at the response, his cheeks burning. His long, lanky fingers snaked around the trigger as he prepared to shoot. Snafu loved whenever Eugene would become vulnerable. He was aware that Eugene was an adult that could handle himself. Even so, Snafu had the urge to want to protect him. The thought of letting him go was going to kill him. What would he do when Eugene left him?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Cajun noticed that Eugene’s fingers shook at the trigger. He was becoming frustrated once again, scared that he was going to miss the shot again. His job was not only to help Eugene shoot his target but comfort him. After all, they were partners. Walking over, Snafu moved his calloused hands onto Eugene's. The shaking began to stop as he stood more straight and focussed on his target. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Come on Cher…” He purred into his ear. He was right up against Eugene’s back, inhaling the sweet scent on his auburn hair. The red head’s breath twitched as he felt Snafu’s heat radiate. No, he couldn’t be distracted by Snafu. This is exactly what he wanted. Releasing the trigger, the bullet flew straight into the bullseyes and out, hitting right into the tree. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I did it...holy shit.” Eugene smiled, proud of himself. After days of practice, his hard work had paid off. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Cher, that was amazing. I’m so proud of you.” Snafu responded, a smirk on his face. He wrapped his hands around Eugene’s waist, pulling him right close to him. A small gasp escaped from Eugene’s mouth, surprised by the sudden move. His cheeks burned tomato red. Snafu hunched to kiss his neck. “You smell good. Wonder what yah taste like…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene slid out of his hold, turning to look at him. He went from flirty to a mixture of confusion and worry. Snafu had been more direct with his advances. He knew that he would never do anything that Eugene didn’t want, but he was certainly a thirsty man. “S-snafu…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Cher, I-” Snafu was freaking out as his voice shook. He truly didn’t mean to scare Eugene. He tried to grab his shoulder, but Eugene sped away to put his rifle away. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m cold.” He awkwardly excused himself, placing the gun down as he sped walk across the field. In truth, he wasn’t cold. Eugene had never been in a relationship in his life. With Snafu, it felt amazing having someone give him all this attention. To call someone his own. Snafu spoiled him with the love that he had read about in fairytales. But Snafu in the past few weeks had been getting more handsy. It started off with a hand on the small of his back and escalated to a firm hand on his thigh. In their bedroom, Snafu became more aggressive with his kisses. At night he would clasp tightly onto Eugene to the point where he couldn’t get up or move. Snafu had been rather stressed lately so Eugene had brushed it off as a phase that was seemingly not going away. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He was found cuddling and kisses. Even the hickies were fine. But he knew what Snafu wanted. After months of dating, he yearned to have more of Eugene. It wasn’t that Eugene didn’t want it. The thought of sex had terrified him. He was clueless on how to please a woman, let alone a man. The last thing he wanted to do was to not please Snafu. What the hell did the future hold for them? </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As Eugene walked down an iced paved road, he saw Burgie with Lucy. They had been in front of the barn house building a snowman. Burgie was usually hunting with Snafu or doing chores around the ranch, but it was a different side of Burgie. He smiled as he and Lucy talked. They put a carrot and pebbles as his nose and used Snafu’s trapper hat. Burgie’s thin lips reminded Eugene of a childlike, innocent smile that had been stripped away from him so many years ago. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lucy turned around to notice Eugene with a toothy smile on her face. Dropping the snow, she ran over waving her arms. “Eugene!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene looked down at the young girl, a calming smile on her face. “Heya Lucy. Whatcha doin’?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Me and Burgie are buildin’ an army of snowmen!” She explained as she grabbed Eugene’s hand to drag him over. They had built a line up of snow men that outlook the Grand Tetons. “So we can protect you from ‘da bad man!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Was Lucy referring to Leckie and all the hunters trying to kill him? She seemed rather young to understand the current situation. Even so, Eugene thought she was absolutely adorable. He simply smiled back at her. Burgie walked over as he wiped some snow from his coat shoulder. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Lucy, you know we can’t forget the-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Pebbles! The nose!” She panicked. Stepping backward, she started to run towards the main house to collect more supplies for the snowman. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As she ran off, Eugene’s shoulder tensed down as he let out a large sigh. Burgie looked at him, instantly knowing what it was about. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Snafu?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He’s just...ugh!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene turned to sit on the nearest rock with Burgie following right behind him. Putting his head in his hands, Eugene began to explain. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I feel like Snafu wants more. He’s been so tense lately that all he wants to do is be near me. Even if I wanna talk to Sid or do something on my own, he’s gotta be right by my side. I love him more than anything, but it’s just...i don’t know. I don’t know what else I can give him. It’s hard because as much as I want him, I have a family that has no idea if I’m alive or dead. Sid refuses to leave me alone with humans because…”</span>
  <span><br/>
<br/>
</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know. ‘S okay.” Burgie reassured. Sid was definitely jumpy. He was a nice kid, but definitely edgy around humans. Especially Snafu. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I just don’t fuckin’ know anymore. Every day we grow closer. I know Sid isn’t crazy about it, but I can’t help it. I love Snafu, but I love my family...I’m torn….”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Burgie would usually know what to say in this situation, but he was truly speechless. It wasn’t like he had heard it before. As complicated as the situation was, Burgie had heard both sides of the story. He knew how much they loved each other, but their situation was beyond complicated. Not only did they have bounties on their heads, but it was a romance between a deer and a human.</span>
  <em>
    <span> The Lion had fallen in love with the lamb. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He simply couldn’t sit around and get Eugene. He was right. Snafu had been on edge with the hunters. He had turned to Eugene as his comfort. In all honesty, Eugene was one of the best things that had ever happened to Snafu. Burgie had been worried about him since Snafu in the previous months had seemingly disappeared off of the planet. But when learning why, it made Burgie finally sleep at night, knowing that Snafu wasn’t dead yet. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I get that. Listen…” Burgie patted Eugene’s shoulder, looking down. Should he say it? The conversation that he and Snafu had lingered in his mind. But he couldn’t hold information back from Eugene. “You wanna know how Snafu truly feels about you?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-----</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Burgie couldn’t sleep. His room was frigid. Twisting and turning in his bed wasn’t going to help, so he got up for a smoke. It was a bad habit he had learned from Snafu. On those long hunting trips, Snafu would pull out a box and go through it in less than an hour. A young fifteen-year-old boy would obviously be interested. It was their dirty little secret. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Huffing a cloud of smoke, he saw it evaporate into the cold and harsh Wyoming air. The sky was pitch black as it overlooked the large mountains. His whole family owned thousands of acres, alone in the wilderness.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>They were never truly alone.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Thought you said you never smoked,” A thick, Cajun accent called in the dark night. It took Burgie a second to comprehend. But nobody he had ever met was like Snafu. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“You gave me my first cigarette,” He responded. Snafu walked right beside him, a pack of Marlboro’s which were all going to be smoked within the hour. “If ma’ mama found out, she’d have my head on her well.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Burgie turned over to see Snafu shaking his hand as he twirled the cigarette in his dry fingertips. He had been shaking his leg as he bit down on the cigarette. Knowing him for years, Burgie always knew Snafu moods. He could already tell that something was wrong. What was scary was that he knew what was bothering him. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Eugene, ain’t it?” </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Throwing his head down, Snafu let out a large sigh. Burgie was prepared to hear Snafu’s rant.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I love him more than anythin’ in da world. He’s all I have left. You gotta family that cares ‘bout you, your lucky. I never had that. But when I saw Eugene, I knew somethin’ sparked. I don’t believe in dat fairytale shit but I fell in..love with him. I didn’t feel sexually attracted to him. Lookin’ at me with ‘dose big, dopey eyes and fiery hair...and fuckin’ antlers. Just seeing him...all I wanted to do was hold him close.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“It took time, but he fell for me. I started sleepin’ again. I felt the need to keep livin’ again. Just bein’ ‘round him made my day. Hell, even my cigarettes and alcohol didn’t feel the same ta’ me. I’m convinced he’s an angel from heaven. Each day, I love him more and more. But, I’ve noticed he’s been a little off lately. I’ve been tryin’ to help Eugene, but he keeps pushin’ me away. I just wanna let him know dat I luv him…”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I don’t know much longer he’ll be safe here. I could always bring him to Montana, I don’t care...I just can’t let him go.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Burgie looked over at Snafu with raised eyebrows. He knew about the whole situation. Snafu had promised Eugene he would let him go back to his family in Spring. But he knew Snafu too well. A deep part of him wanted to keep Eugene all to himself. He didn’t want to be selfish, but it was simply his nature. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Snafu, you know he has family, right?”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Yeah...but I don't know what I’ll do without him. He’s everything to me…”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Look at me, Snafu.” Burgie said. “You can’t keep him all to yourself. I know you’re in love, but he’s got family and friends. I think he’s worried for his own life right now, and Sid as well. I think he knows that you love him but if you hound him every minute...he might get annoyed.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Snafu furrowed his eyebrows wanting to ignore Burgie’s advice. Lighting another cigarette, he began to walk off of the porch into the dark night. Burgie cursed under his breath before following after him.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Listen. What I’m sayin’ is, he loves you. You love him. But Eugene enjoys his space, I know that. He wants to be with Sid alone or Lucy or heck, even all by himself. Eugene loves you. I know he does. You and that deer boy are a couple. I’m sure he’s strugglin’ on his home and you. It ain’t easy, and I know it. If you are happy, then god damn it I’m happy for you.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Well Sid ain’t fuckin’ happy. Hates my guts.” Snafu huffed as he kept walking to his unknown location. He could feel the cool breeze against his exposed skin. Was he truly asking for a lot? He didn’t want things to fall apart. Now that he had Eugene in his life, it was impossible to let him go. How would he live after he was touched by an angel? </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Sid and Snafu’s relationship was complex. Even after they had made up the tension between them never faded. Eugene would spend his time with Sid and Snafu equally. Sid eventually had healed from his injuries and wanted to be around Eugene. He was still wary of humans. Eugene, his best friend, had seen this and tried to accustom him with Burgie’s younger sisters. It had been going well.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>But Snafu envied Eugene being around other people. He was unable to handle his emotions properly. Jealousy was an emotion he had felt before but never knew how to properly handle. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Sid had noticed Snafu’s envy. It had sparked a fire between the two men. Eugene felt like he was being fought over between them. Just a few days ago Eugene had told both of them off and stormed off. Burgie had intervened and told him to come have a conversation with the two men. Eugene had said things he truly didn’t mean. Even if they had all made up, Sid was still suspicious of Snafu. He knew that Eugene was happy with him, but what was Snafu truly capable of? Why would the hunter fall in love with it’s prey? Sid acted happy for them, but deep inside it truly bothered him. He hated humans since they had hurt him, and suddenly his friend was in love with one of them, especially a hunter. What did Eugene see in Snafu? In Sid’s eyes he was cold, always smoked, and seemed distant. Sid attempted to be friendly with him but he would never budge. The only person he seemed truly happy around was Eugene. If Eugene’s parents were here, they would disapprove of Snafu. But then again, it was better than Percy. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span> The world refused to make sense. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Snafu, grow the fuck up!” Burgie honestly started. “You were jealous of a friendship! Nothin weird is goin’ on between them. Eugene was helpin’ Sid because he was scared. Eugene was like ‘dat as well. Just accept ‘dat your wrong for once. Eugene doesn’t hate you for it. Shit happens.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>The Cajun froze in place, freezing at Burgie’s statement. He hated that he was wrong. All of these emotions were so alien to him. He thought his jealousy was normal. But then again, he had only been thinking of himself. He knew it was bad. But having to deal with someone’s else's emotions was a new and confusing idea. Especially if it was his partners. It was selfish of him to want Eugene all for himself. But he knew that Eugene wasn’t his. The last thing he wanted to do was make Eugene uncomfortable. The thought of losing him truly scared Snafu. But Eugene was his own person. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I just...want him to myself, y’know? But it’s greedy of me.” Snafu breaks the silence as smoke escapes his mouth. “I know it is. It’s all I ever have known. I don’t wanna lose Eugene. I can’t imagine it.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Burgie saw Snafu’s pain as his voice cracked. He was truly enamored with Eugene. He was his first and only love. Burgie had never felt love before, but he had a family he could go to. He loved them more than anything in the world. On the other hand, Snafu had none of that. No friends, no family, nothing. He wasn’t wrong in that Eugene was his everything since it was all he had. Burgie saw how happy Eugene made Snafu. He didn’t want to speak on it since he knew Snafu was in a vulnerable state right now. It was better to be more supportive than flat out honest in the heat of the moment. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Walking over, the short man placed a comforting hand on Snafu’s cold shoulder. A soft smile saying “it’s going to be okay” rested on his face.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Look at it like a window of time. Don’t worry ‘bout the future. Just live in the moment you have. I know it’s easy for me to say...but just be happy with Eugene. Love him and let him be his own man. He’s a growin’ boy. He’s confused, but I know that he loves you more than anythin’. It’s a hard time for all of us. But do it for me, Snafu. Do it for Eugene.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>-----</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene sat there, speechless. He wasn’t surp[ised that Snafu would say things like that. He knew he cared about him, but at times it was too much. It was somewhat understandable since Snafu had never felt love until meeting Eugene. Boundaries were a thing new to both of them. Snafu had just been a little needier since it was all he knew. He wasn’t obsessed with Eugene, but in love. Eugene loved Snafu more than anything in the world. He treated him extremely well and gave him the love he deserved. Eugene trusted Snafu with his life. They had been through so much together. After all, Snafu saved him from death two times. That showed Eugene that he not only cared, but loved him. There was no denying that the two men were drastically different from each other. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He said that…?” Eugene asked. He still wanted him all to himself. Even if it meant keeping him away from his family.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Burgie nodded. He felt guilty, but he refused to pick sides. “He did. Listen Eugene. I’ve known Snafu for years. I talked to him ab-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I love him, I do. I just don’t fucking know at this point.” Eugene huffed. He was annoyed, upset, and confused. He didn’t know how to feel. There was so much happening at once. “I love him one minute and then I don’t. He expects so much from me. I give him all I can! He looks at me like I’m helpless. Everyone does! Sid, Snafu, even you do at times!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Burgie shook his head. “I’m not sayin’ that Eu-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I can’t think straight. I’m sorry Burgie, I need some space.” He stated. He got up and began to walk away from the main house. Sid had taken him to the abandoned farm where he had run off to before. It was a place of comfort since nobody had gone there. It was quiet and void of discord. Walking through the thick snow, he could hear Burgie follow after him. But Burgie was smart enough to know that he needed space. He may have not understood the entire situation, but knew both sides. All Burgie wanted to do was help.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Burgie had stopped following Eugene. Eugene didn’t want to be rude. He never felt alone anymore. He was starting to become more fed up. He tried to be kind and understanding but it was beginning to get harder each day. Being fought over like he was some fragile object or prize to be won made him furious. All he needed to be was alone. Was he truly asking for much?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His feet refused to stop moving. No matter how hard it became to walk, Eugene kept ongoing. He could hear distant talking; Sid and Snafu’s voices lingering. But he blocked it out. From what had seemed forever, all Eugene could hear was the chirps of birds and the wind in his auburn hair. His feet stopped as he stood in place, admiring the dark trees covered in snow. Closing his eyes, a deep exhale escaped his mouth. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Finally, tranquility. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene was finally alone with his thoughts. Walking down the trail, he headed towards the familiar abandoned farm covered in snow. Sitting on one of the broken logs, he pulled out his pipe and lit it. He had been finding himself smoking more often to relieve stress. Being more around Snafu, it became more of a casual occurrence. Snafu would hold his chin as he lit the pipe, his fingers caressing him gently as those large seafoam eyes would burn into his soul. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Oh god, he was absolutely in love with Snafu. A smile curved on his face as the smoke peered down from his nose. That man was going to be the death of him. The hours they would spend, holding each other as they talked. There was no comparison between Snafu and Percy. Percy was everything Snafu was. Snafu definitely had his problems. But he cared deeply for Eugene, more than anything in the world. Eugene would hold him close and stroke his unruly curls as would talk about his tragic past. The only person that Snafu would ever let himself down in front of was Eugene. He wanted to let Snafu know that he would be by his side no matter what.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But would he truly be by his side forever?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Their love was forbidden. Eugene and Snafu were never supposed to fall in love with each other. Snafu was the hunter and Eugene was the prey. On that fateful day, Snafu could have killed him, but he chose to save him. When saving him, it had turned Eugene’s mundane lifestyle upside down. Although it brought him true love and happiness, it had also brought him pain. The pain of his leg recovering, his family worrying for him, having a bounty on his head. It seemed as each day went on it was increasingly getting worse. Not a day passed where he wouldn’t worry about his home.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He was struggling to choose a side. It wasn’t easy. Snafu, Burgie, and Sid all knew that Eugene had to pick. Deers and humans were to have no connection to each other. As much as he didn’t want to leave Snafu, he wanted to see his family. Once leaving Snafu, he would go back to his mundane lifestyle. He would have his family but what about his love? The only person he had ever romantically loved was Snafu. What would Snafu do without him? Would he be able to function? He felt selfish wanting to leave. Just hearing the conversation from Burgie broke his heart. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>All Snafu ever was love, and nothing more. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>What the hell was he going to do?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Eugene?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His thoughts were interrupted by a distinct voice. He turned around as he searched for the source of the voice. It sounded like Sid as his feet stomped through the snow. Great. Burgie probalry alerted Snafu and Sid of his little storm off. All he wanted was peace. Was he truly asking for much?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As the voices got closer, Eugene huffed and began to walk forward. He decided to go behind the barn and walk straight into the endless line of trees and snow. Anything to escape. The redhead heard the pleas of Sid and Snafu, but all he wanted to do was ignore them. Quietly hoping in the snow, he passed each identical tree. They were large, black, and learned. The further he walked down the trail, the more trees became blurrier. The once shining sun had been covered in dark, ominous clouds. The voices had finally disappeared and Eugene was alone but scared. He didn’t think about his choices. Now he was lost. What he wanted to be was what he was now most afraid of. Being surrounded by the trees and dark sky made his hands shake and sweat. There was no sound except for his heavy breaths.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Cursing under his breath, he stopped to find a clear path. There had been a path back to the ranch. Burgie’s family had owned thousands of acres. He thought he had been moving towards the voices, but he was unsure. All he hoped was to hear the Cajun’s thick accent and even his friends, but his hope was short. There was nothing. The sky was becoming darker each minute. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Each tree he passed, his fears were becoming a reality. Eugene had thought Burgie and his family lived in the middle of nowhere, being the only people for miles on end. But the more he walked forward, the more footsteps decorated the snow surrounding him. Eugene, in a feared state, tried to reassure himself that it was simply Snafu and Burgie’s steps from a hunt. Even if there had been a snowstorm a day ago. It was getting dark outside. Eugene was cold, sacred, and alone. His now relaxed demeanor was in a frenzy as he picked up his walking pace. Seeing a clear road, it was a sign of hope. Just maybe, he would be home. Be in Snafu’s warm embrace. They would kiss and make up as he would stare into those infamous big seafoam eyes. It would be all peaceful again. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Eugene’s worst nightmare had become a reality. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He felt a cold metal strangle his neck. It all happened too quickly to react. Next thing he knew, Eugene’s face collided with the cold snow as he struggled to breath. A thin, metal rope had been tied around his neck. It was harsh and tight. He could already feel a bruise being formed, unable to breathe. The same rope had been tied around his legs as him, holding him down to the ground. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>He had fallen into a trap. It couldn’t have been happening.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Unable to move, Eugene says a pair of heavy boots walk in front of his face. He could hear other footsteps surrounding his body as the air filled with the smell of gunpowder. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Remember me, red?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His hazel orbs peered up and set sights on a man he thought would only appear in his nightmares. He had thought he would see him once more, but Eugene was ever so wrong. Those cold, icy blue eyes burned into my soul.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>It was the hunter. The only and only Leckie. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Y-you.” Was all Eugene could manage to spit out. He tried to now act scared, but in all hell he was. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Bending down, Leckie grabbed his chin to admire his features. He loved to see the way he squirmed and held back a whimper. The snare rope was wrapped perfectly around his pretty pale neck. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thought you could get away, could you? That’s what all you animals think. You don’t know what I am.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I know what you are.” Eugene stated. “A monster.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leckie’s grasp began tighter on Eugene’s chin. “That’s what you all say. Do you think Snafu’s a monster too?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He’s nothing like you. Unlike you,” Eugene hissed, “He’s a better hunter, and </span>
  <em>
    <span>person</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Really? He kept you locked in his little cabin for months. What the hell did he want with you?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“A fucktoy. Something' weird like that.” A voice called behind Leckie. It sounded oddly familiar. It was one of Leckie’s goons. “You know Snafu. He’s a freak of nature.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He’s not a freak!” Eugene defended. All they did was put Snafu down. They didn’t understand him like he did. All they did was laugh at him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>One of them spit right onto his cheek. “He must’ve fucked you up pretty well. He took advantage. I won’t lie, I’d do so m-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene had pushed himself up, charging towards one of them. He is grabbed and held back by Leckie and a few other men. He was sick of it. Sick of the way he was being treated. Everyone thought they could kick him around. Spit in his face and criticize him. Eugene wasn’t the same person he was before. If he was going to die, so be it. He would leave Snafu and his family behind. He was hurting. But he didn’t want to die crying. He wanted to make sure he left his mark and fought to the last, bitter minute. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“YOU STUPID BASTARD! YOU BASTARD!” Eugene screamed at Leckie. Leckie backed up and widened his cold blue eyes at the deer boy. It was the first time he had truly felt rage. He was unleashing the lion that he had buried for so long. He was sick of being the lamb. The lamb was becoming the lion. All he needed to do was run. If he could survive the hunters once, he could do it again. They killed his family and friends. Leckie and his men deserved a taste of medi-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Everything hurt. A massive thrust hit the side of Eugene’s head. Suddenly, the world began to spin as he felt back into the cold snow. It stung on his pale skin. Eugene tried to fight, but everything had felt light. There was no fight in his body. It was like a glass shattering. His world became blurry and numb as everything went cold and black. </span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>If you could please love a comment or kudos, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks ;)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter Eleven</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Eugene wakes up in The Sleeping Indian to find that Leckie has kidnapped him with cruel intentions. Snafu, Sid, and Burgie make a dangerous attempt to save Eugene from Leckie and his goons.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Oh my goodness gracious. There is so much to process here. Number one, the fact that we are only two chapters away from the story being over is wild. This was one of my favorite things to write all year. Five days and 8k words later, I gift you with one of the most dramatic chapters in the story. School has given me a semi writer's block. I wanna write, but my ADHD just distracts me so easily as you can clearly see in me typing up this message. I'm hoping to get Ch.12 out before October and finish the story in early November. School is draining me so much, but I'm doing this for you guys. Seeing new comments and kudos brings tears to my eyes, thank you so much for the people who have supported me since day one, I love you guys so much. This chappie is going to be super heavy. If you know the movie get out, then kudos to you for seeing the small references I make about it throughout this chappie. I promise I'll make it up in the next chappie tho! Just want to clarify that this is a proud anti-Kathy club, we have progressed far enough in society for the need of him. Anyway, enough of my rambles. Once again, thank you so much for the support. I hope you guys enjoy this chappie. If you could leave a kudos or a comment, I'd really appreciate it. Thank you ;]</p><p>WARNING: descriptions of violence, rape, blood, and gore ahead. lots of angst....but w/ a happy ending</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Snafu, wait!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What the hell do ‘yah mean he’s gone?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was completely unexpected. Eugene stormed off, but he would always come back. He was smart and knew his way back to the ranch. Snafu didn’t like it, but it didn’t matter. There was a small amount of light in the sky, but as the sun traveled across the sky to set, The whole ranch had gone into a frenzy.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene was missing. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Burgie trailed after Snafu, letting a cigarette roll off his lips with a rifle in hand. Calm wasn’t an option in Snafu’s book of emotions. Although he displayed anger, Burgie could sense fear in his haunting milky eyes. He turned around to glare at the shorter man, hate in his eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He just stormed off. I didn’t follow him because I wanted to give the boy space.” Burgie explained, being as honest as possible. It bothered him more than anything in the world. Eugene was missing because of him. Mother nature was not a forgiving woman. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu furrowed his eyebrows, taking the cigarette out of his mouth and throwing it into the cold snow. He scrunched up his face at Burgie, turning around and slowly walking towards him. Burgie’s sisters and mother watched from the porch with Sid. Sid, like Snafu and Burgie, was freaking out. Eugene never went missing. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What ‘da fuck did yah just say?” He seethed. Burgie stepped back a little as he could see the fire blazing in Snafu’s eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He sighed, holding his ground. “Eugene stormed off. I let him. All he wanted was space. I’m sorry.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was a moment of peace between the two. Snafu looked away into the distance, and then looked back at Burgie. Burgie had never seen Snafu so quiet, yet so angry. He had seen Snafu at his worst, but never like this. His milky eyes burned into Burgie’s ocean eyes. Before Burgie even knew it, Snafu was right in his face, holding his jacket collared as he shook them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“YOU FUCKIN’ LET HIM GO? LET HIM RUN OFF WHERE HE’S WANTED? ARE YOU NOT USIN’ YOUR HEAD, BOY?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t expect him to run off!” Burgie screeched back, trying to remove Snafu’s hands from his jacket. He could hear Gloria frantic, running over. “Maybe if you didn’t hound him every minute, he wouldn’t be gone!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Gone? Think ‘dis is funny?” Snafu snarled.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Stop takin’ ma’ words outta context!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“If ‘dat was one uva’ sisters, you’d be shittin’ your pants” Snafu brought Burgie’s head right next to his. “Eugene might be dead, all alone n’ scared. All because of you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Thankfully, Sid had made his way over and broke up the men. Sid had no idea what Snafu was capable of. As much as he wanted to slap Snafu across the face, it wasn’t the time to get emotions to get in the way. Sid had known Eugene better than anyone did here. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Even when they were separated, Burgie and Snafu still death glared each other. Burgie looked like he had been betrayed and hurt. Snafu on the other hand looked frantic. Sid was both, but he was trying to keep in contained. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fuck you!” Burgie spat as his voice croaked. “Get the hell of ma’ ranch!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fuck you too, Burige” Snafu mumbled, turning around. He wanted to look back. Just like Burgie, he was hurting as well. Snafu wasn’t the best at handling his emotions, let alone his anger. “I’ll get offa’ ‘yer lil’ ranch and mind Eugene on ma’ own.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>While Snafu was muttering French non-sense, Sid followed after him, pleading. “Snafu.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu refused to stop walking as his hand grasped the rifle. Instead of his usual exhausetd expression, he looked exhausted and worried. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“mon amour, je suis désolé pour ce qui s'est passé….je viens te trouver. reste en vie pour moi afin que je puisse….voir ton beau visage, s'il te plaît....”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>In an last attempt, the blonde grabbed his arm and held him back. Snafu stopped and fell back into reality, turning to look at Sid. Sid’s eyes pleaded with him, telling him</span>
  <em>
    <span> “Please, just stop. For Eugene”. </span>
  </em>
  <span>The Cajun saw Burgie staring straight at him, hurt in his eyes. It looked like he was just about to break. What hurt him was that Burgie’s young sisters watched in horror the whole scene occurring. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I have to go find him.” Snafu stated.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You can’t go alone. I’m coming with you.” Sid responded.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What if they’re out there? I’m not risking a life.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Eugene’s my best friend.” Sid interrupted. “I’m just as worried as you are. I think I can help. Just let me come with you, please.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letting out a sigh, Snafu nodded. “Fine, but we don’t got much time. The sun is settin’. I’ll grab us flashlights.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Cajun walked past Sid and back to the mainhouse. He knew Gloria was going to give him an earful. Once he found Eugene, he would be gone. At this point, nothing mattered. All he needed was to find Eugene and escape all of his pain. As he walked back to the mainhouse, he noticed Burgie on the porch. He looked into the distance, seeing the sun travel across the sky. Snafu stopped and looked at him, trying to his words. He knew Burgie looked up to him as a brother figure. After all, he was the only person who Snafu truly considered a friend. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’re lookin’ for Eugene. You can tag along if you want.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Burgie didn’t even bother to look at him. He had his arms crossed. Upon hearing Snafu’s voice, a fist formed in his hand. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu knew it was best to say nothing. Walking into the mainhouse, he saw Gloria. She gave him a disapproving stare. As she was about to speak, Snafu interrupted her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ll get the boy and leave you all alone. There, happy?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Searching through the cabinet, Snafu tried to find a flashlight behind the mess of coats, but it was impossible. All he wanted to do was just leave and not get an earful from Gloria. However, she did not hold back. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No wonder you’re alone. Look at you. Actin’ so damn tough and rude. You’re such a horrible man.” Gloria hissed behind Snafu, full venom. She ranted on how Snafu was a horrible influence and person. It was words he had heard before. Over the years, he had gotten used to them. It didn’t mean they still didn’t hurt. “After you leave, you ain’t welcome back here. I don’t wanna see you with Romus ever again. You hear me, Merriell?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu huffed, turning around as he nodded. He had found the flashlights and would be away from this godawful woman.  “Loud and clear, ma’am. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got shit to do.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As Snafu walked towards the door, Gloria had said something that made him stop dead in his tracks. He normally wasn’t affected by much, but Gloria had stabbed him right in his heart. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know what that redhead sees in you. He’s so pure and kind, unlike you. The total opposite.” Gloria confessed as she looked at her nails. Her tone was condescending and cold. “It’s a little taboo for a thirty-year-old to be hittin’ on a nineteen-year-old, but your the “Snafu” for Jackson. Huntin’, killin’, doin’ whatcha, please. Everybody wonders what’s goin’ one with you. Little do they know, though.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu’s blood boiled. Biting his lip, he nearly broke the weak flashlight. But this wasn’t a time to use his heart. It was time to use his head. Eugene’s life was at stake. Ignoring Gloria’s hurtful words, Snafu walked onto the porch. Walking by Burgie, he noticed he was loading his rifle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Snafu stopped to look at him. “You comin’?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The short man, once again, ignored him and walked down to where Sid was. It pained him that Burgie was ignoring him. Eugene would act like this at times. He would never admit it, but he hated the feeling of being ignored. After so many years of being alone, attention seemed like a gift from the gods. It truly was. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He followed Burgie down the hill and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Listen, let me explain.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Burgie moved his shoulder back, throwing Snafu’s hand off of it. He turned to the Cajun, his ocean eyes watery. It was hard to hold back his emotions. Snafu had seen him cry before. But that was when he was a boy. Now, Burgie was a man. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t.” He retorted. Snafu stood there and just looked at him. Burgie shook his head and turned, walking towards Sid to start their search for Eugene.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu tried to shake it off, but Gloria’s words haunted him. Not only was he hurting, but he was more worried than anything. Eugene was out in the woods, dead or alive. He couldn’t lose Eugene. The only reason he was alive was because of Eugene. Losing Eugene would be his last straw. He missed Eugene’s soft skin and silky hair; how he could whisper sweet words when his nightmares would occur. Snafu didn’t truly deserve him. Eugene was too good for him. What did someone like him, a selfish recluse, deserve a beautiful and kind deer boy? </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gloria was right. Eugene did deserve better. Snafu gave him all of his love, but was it enough? Were they truly meant to be together? Eugene was a deer and engaged to someone he didn’t love. Snafu wanted him all to himself but understood that they had a deal. Once Eugene left by the spring, he was gone for good. Snafu would be all alone again, just like he was now. As each day went by, it pained Snafu to think of letting the love of his life ago. But everyone knew, even Snafu, that it was for the better.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>The lion wasn’t supposed to fall in love with the lamb. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-----</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sid was one hell of a good tracker.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Burgie recalled Eugene storming up the hill that had lead to an abandoned barn. Burgie had said they used to keep their horses in there but moved them closer to the ranch. They walked up the hill and found the barn, but not Eugene. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Burgie was horrible at hiding his emotions. He tried to act all tough, but he was a sensitive person. Having Snafu all up in his face didn’t make it any better. He gave him and Eugene home and a place to hide. Even before then, Snafu had just disappeared. He hadn’t talked to Burgie in over two months. Was this what he deserved? </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Found a tobacco trail and sum’ footsteps,” Burgie announced. Sid and Snafu walked over, seeing it lead into a woods. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I was up the hill, calling for his name a few hours ago. I’m guessin’ he heard and just walked away,” Sid confessed, “Should’ve followed after him.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The clouds overshadowed the sunset as small drops of snow began to fall from the sky. This wasn’t a good sign at all. Not only was it dark, but it was now snowing. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Burgie looked up at the sky and held out a hand, feeling the snow in his ungloved hand. “It’s heavy,” He noticed. “It’s gonna stick to the ground. We’ve gotta’ move fast and follow these tracks.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The three men got up and walked behind the barn to follow the last bit of hope they had for finding Eugene. Once the sun had set, Eugene’s life was in danger. The snow was getting heavier with each minute, covering up the tracks. Sid led in front as he tried to catch Eugene’s scent while Burgie and Snafu tracked from behind. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu looked over at Burgie and let out a heavy sigh, seeing the cigarette smoke fly into the air. “Listen, Burgie. I’m sorry. I...was just angry.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Burgie looked over, furrowing his big eyebrows. It pained Snafu to see the anger in his eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Y’know, sorry doesn’t cut it,” Burgie mumbled as they walked through the snow ridden forest. “Two months of ignoring ma’ calls. I’d come to the lodge and you’d just ignore me. I was worried ‘bout you. Gave you a place, and you yell in my face?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu stayed silent as Burgie lectured him. “I let Eugene go. I know you told me, to watch overa’ him, but he’s not a child. I let him go because he was upset. He was talkin’ to me about how he feels. I...told him.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You what?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I told him. You know I can’t lie. It’s not like he already knew. That’s why he was upset.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu took the cigarette from his lips. Eugene was a smart boy; he knew what was right and wrong. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ve never had this before. You have family, I got nothing. He’s everything to me. But…” Snafu stumbled on his words, unable to make sense. Burgie was right. Eugene was a deer and he was a human. It was for the better. Eugene could find someone his own age who wasn’t like Snafu. Sid could protect him. It was for the greater good.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Snafu! Burgie!” Sid cried out. Snafu and Burgie snapped out of their emotions and speed over to where Sid was. Sid stood infront of a tree that had a smear of blood and wires wrapped. The wires lead to the ground, laying there casually. “There’s blood. I’ve seen these before…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Snare wire…” The Cajun replied as he walked to the tree and held up a light. It looked like someone had scarped themselves against a tree. Seeing the snare and blood only made Snafu’s blood oil. “‘Dey’ use it trap animals. Any lil’ critter..includin’ deer. It ain’t deer season ‘doe.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This is my family’s land. Whoever put this here wasn’t supposed to be here.” Burgie added. The closest hunters were in Jackson. The only people that the three men could think of were </span>
  <em>
    <span>The Sleeping Indian. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sid stood by the wire, cursing under his breath. “They took Eugene. Those son’s of bitches!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu looked at the wire as his grip on the lantern tightened. He could feel the hot metal burn his hands. This had to be the work of Leckie. Snafu had little to no respect to Leckie to begin with him but now it was a full-blown war between them. Leckie had lost his mind over the deer boy, making it his obsession to catch him. Leckie had crossed the line just to capture Eugene. What was he going to do to sweet Eugene? Whatever it was, it wasn’t good. Snafu had promised himself when he first meet Eugene that he was going to protect him with his life. A former marine never had given up on his promise to protect and serve. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Not even bothering to acknowledge Burgie or Sid, Snafu turned around and began to head back. There was no time to waste. Whatever it took, Snafu was going to take Eugene. Take him away from his godawful place. Away from all the pain and discord of the world. Snafu was enraged. Leckie was going to pay, even if it meant getting blood on his hands again. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Snafu! Wait!” Burgie called as he and Sid followed after Snafu in the snow. Snafu was speed walking through the forest. Once he had made it down the hill, he bursted into the mainhouse and to the supplies cabinet looking for bullets. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Upon seeing his, Burgie freaked out. He knew Snafu all too well. The last thing they needed was to have a full-on civil war in Jackson. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You ain’t killin’ Leckie,” Burgie affirmed. Snafu only shoved the ammo into the gun and the rest into his belt. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“If he’s willin’ to hurt Eugene, then he sure as well won’t have a problem talkin’ to me,” Snafu carped as the anger bellowed in his face. Only thinking about what Leckie was doing to Eugene made the Cajun’s blood boil. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m comin’ with you then.” The shorter man responded. Snafu stopped to look at him. Sid stood beside Burgie, nodding his head. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Eugene’s my best friend. I don’t know what they’re gonna do with him, but it ain’t good.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No god damnit,” Snafu sighed as he shook his head, “I ain’t riskin’ the two of you gettin’ hurt.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Snafu, we’re all in this mess, </span>
  <em>
    <span>together</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Burgie said. Snafu stopped and turned to look at Burgie and Sid, who wanted to come with him to save Eugene. Both of their eyes pleaded like children who wanted a new toy. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Huffing, Snafu shook his head. “Fine, but please, stay behind me. I don’t want you guys gettin’ hurt. I don’t know what Leckie’s gonna do, but I’m certain of one thing.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Standing at the front porch, Snafu loaded his rifle as he looked into the snowy night sky. “It’s time to get ma’ boy back.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-----</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The first feeling Eugene remembered feeling was warm and comfortable. His body shifted into a more cuddled position as he laid by the warm sensation. His body refused to move. There was a hot sensation on his back as the floor seemed soft. It felt eerily calm. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Almost too calm. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As he fluttered his eyes open, he was greeted with a wave of pain. His legs and arms arched in pain. Letting out a small whine, Eugene tried to turn over but couldn’t bring himself to do so. Instead of wearing heavy layers of clothing, Eugene donned a robe that was too big for him. It was a hunter green plaid as the sleeve hung off of his shoulder. His eyes were greeted with a fire that casually burned. It was a large, stone fireplace that looked sophisticated and unfamiliar. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Was this heaven? Eugene had danced with death before. All he remembered was a tight sensation around his neck and limbs, and then a sharp pain in his head. His ankles and wrists were covered in sore, burning marks. His hand pushed back his auburn bangs to feel the forming bruise on the side of his head. Everything in his body had hurt; like a bee had stung all of his joints. Where the hell was he? </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Shit, he’s awake!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What do we do?” A whispered voice responded back.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The other voice hushed back, “Look!”  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hearing the voices, Eugene felt his heart drop. Those weren’t the voices of Snafu or Burgie’s. They were unfamiliar and chilling. Gaining all the strength he had, Eugene turned his body over to see two men, dressed in layers of clothes, guns in their hands. They pointed their weapons at him. Eugene cursed under his breath, pushing back near the fire. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was dark in the room with the only light being the burning fire. One of the men was small and scrawny with a small amount of facial hair growing on his face. The other man was slim and young-looking with close-set eyes and dirty blonde hair. Eugene remembered one of the men the day that he encountered the group of hunters with Sid. The two men both stared at each other like astronauts encountering an alien. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Look at him, Kathy,” The small man said, shifting his gun to point at Eugene. Eugene was both scared and confused. What were these men doing? “You don’t see that everyday.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No shit,” Kathy responded, tilting his head. “Leckie wasn’t kidding about this. Bill got killed by one of these things? Look at him...he’s a twig.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kathy walked closer and poked Snafu’s cheek with the edge of his rifle. The rifle reeked of animal remains and gun powder. A small whine escaped Eugene’s mouth as he used his hand to push the rifle away. Kathy scoffed and proceeded to push on Eugene’s cheek, knocking him to the ground. He hit his back onto the sharp pit poker as the hot metal scapred against his back. He walked over and violently grabbed Eugene’s antlers to make him look into his face. Not being able to hold it back, Eugene let out a pained moan. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You think your tough, red?” He spit onto Eugene’s cheek.  “I wouldn’t try anythin’. I could make sure your pretty lil’ head ends up on that wall. You hear me red?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene didn’t respond and looked down onto the ground, seeing the marks on his hands. There we all bloodied and infected. They stung like a scorpion’s best. Surprisingly, Kathy’s words hurt more than his actual wounds. When was this going to be all over? When was he going to wake up from this nightmare.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kathy’s hand tightened on Eugene’s antler as he felt the skin scrunch up. Eugene gritted his teeth in pain and uncontained anger. He pulled him up to meet his closed in eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Look at me when I’m talkin’ to you. You understand me?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Before Eugene could respond, the sound of a door slamming open could be heard. A light shined on the men. It was so bright that Eugene squinted his eyes to look away for a second. The bright light hurted his head. Curious, he turned his head to look at the doorway. His eyes widened as his arms and legs fell limp to his sides. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>It was Leckie. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sid had impaled him with his antlers, and one of his friends as well. Snafu had talked about Leckie, and not in a positive light. Eugene’s heart began to race. What was Leckie going to with him? Kill him? Keep him prisoner? He got a better look at Leckie, seeing his curly chocolate hair and high cheekbones. He had somehow alarming blue eyes that burned into Eugene’s hazel ones. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> “Kathy! What the hell are you doing with him?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kathy froze in place, fear on his face. He dropped Eugene to the ground. A small “ofh” came from Eugene. Removing his face of fear, he hid behind a serious face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He was acting up, Leckie. I was only doing what you told me to do.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leckie pinched the bridge of his nose. “Just get out, </span>
  <em>
    <span>please</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kathy and the other man ushered outside of the room. Leckie stopped Kathy and harshly whispered something into his ear. Kathy’s shoulders tensed as he walked out of the room, slamming the door on his way out. Leckie walked near the fire as Eugene’s eyes followed him. His breathing became heavier as he grasped onto the sleeve of the robe, pulling it upwards. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leckie, instead of walking towards, Eugene, walked in the back. Eugene could hear two glasses being placed on top of the counter as Leckie rustled through some bottles. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Red, do you prefer Whiskey or Cognac?” The hunter asked from the back of the room. Was he pouring them drinks? “I know you can talk.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>What the hell was happening? This had to be some sort of fever dream. Here Eugene was, faced with a man who wanted his head on the wall. Snafu made himself clear whenever he talked about Leckie. He would form a fist in his hand as he ranted about him. If Eugene was near, Snafu would place a firm hand on Eugene’s thigh. A soft blush formed on his face. He was longing for his sweet Snafu. All he wished for was to be in Snafu’s embrace again; feel his warmth and hands finesse his auburn hair. Eugene didn’t care that he was a handful and even annoying to deal with, he was his first and only love. Eugene hated his weird, dark space with the only light being the fire. He was in a room with Leckie, a killer. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leckie coughed. Eugene’s ears perked up as he looked over with Leckie staring right back at him. His eyes signaled him to respond, or else the result wouldn’t be what he wanted. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“U-um, Cognac. Please” The auburn-haired man requested. He had no idea what was going on, but simply went with the flow since his light was most likely going to depend on it.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pushing himself up, he hissed in pain and moved himself to the nearest couch. It was better than sitting on the floor. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leckie walked over and placed the two drinks down on the table before he sat only a few inches away from him. Not across from him, but </span>
  <em>
    <span>right next to Eugene. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Eugene, trying to subtle, scooted a little further from him. He couldn’t figure out what the hunter exactly wanted with him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Coganc. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Exactly</span>
  </em>
  <span> what Snafu likes.” Leckie chuckled, a hint of venom in his voice. This statement rubbed Eugene the wrong face. He hunched over, biting his lips as his fingers scratched against the leather couch. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You went through all of this trouble to find me? For months?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“If it took six months to find you, then it was worth it. I’m not a man who likes to give up. Just like your little friend.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sid?” Eugene questioned. “He fought like hell in your little prison. You and your men are sick.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m talking about that rat. I’m talking about </span>
  <em>
    <span>him.” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Leckie nodded his head up the wall. Eugene turned his head to see what Leckie had been talking down. When his eyes had meet with him, Eugene’s heart stopped. He felt like he was suffocating; goosebumps forming all over his body as his stomached twisted. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Above the fireplace was the head of Percy, his ex-fiance. His eyes were wide and lifeless as they stared down at Eugene and Leckie. His pinkish skin had been drained of all of it’s color. Percy’s whole body had been depicted, only his head remaining. The fire flashed in his eyes. Eugene was in such a state of shock that he couldn’t even react. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He kept asking about you. Even when he cut off his arms and legs, he still kept screaming that he was going to kill all of us and find you. Look at how that turned out,” Leckie calmly explained, like it was just another normal kill. “He put up a fight, just like your friend did. Eugene is your name, right?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene turned around with horror in his eyes. His vision became blurred as he was freaking out. He choked, “What the hell is wrong with you?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The hunter wasn’t phased by his question. “It’s life, Eugene.” Eugene hated the way he said his name like he had a right to do so. “You’re the lamb, I’m the lion. That’s how life is supposed to work. According to Snafu, he can do whatever the hell he pleases with his prey. That man cannot understand basic instruction. I’m sure you would know since he kept you all to himself.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Snafu was protecting me from people </span>
  <em>
    <span>like you.” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Eugene snapped back. All of the hunters hated Snafu. Even if he had lived with Snafu and even been in a close relationship with him, he still had a lot to learn about his lover. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You know what his name stands for, right? </span>
  <b>S</b>
  <span>ituation </span>
  <b>N</b>
  <span>ormal</span>
  <b> A</b>
  <span>ll </span>
  <b>F</b>
  <span>ucked </span>
  <b>U</b>
  <span>p. I don’t know what you see in him. He’s a freak. I don’t even wanna know what he did to you.” Leckie snorted, finding the situation comical. This only made Eugene’s blood boil as his nails dug into the handle of the leather couch. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene scoffed, offended by his comment. He was sick of all of these men throwing down Snafu. None of them knew Snafu as he did. “He’s not a freak! If someone’s the freak, you are! No wonder he hated all of you, you all treated him like he was dirt under your shoe!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The hunter put his hands in the war, mockingly waving them. “Calm down. I didn’t see this side of you when you brutally murdered one of our men.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He’s was going to kill us. You are were going to kill us.” Eugene responded. “After all, isn’t it apart of life? You have to fight to survive, no matter animal or man?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leckie was silent at the response. That’s exactly what Snafu would say to him on a hunter when they wouldn’t catch an animal. Snafu was a hunter but lacked being competitive. As the years went on, he only killed what was easy because he didn’t care to try as much. No wonder Snafu had kept Eugene to himself. There was something so memorizing about Eugene. A fire burned inside of him, just like the color of his hair. After six months of obsessing, Leckie finally had him right where he was. He tried to treat him like he was a human, but was met with the attitude of a brat. It only made Leckie furious, but he had to keep his composure. He refused to believe that Eugene was actually in love with Snafu. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leckie reached for the coffee table and grabbed a small book, flipping to a page and handing it to Eugene. “Read it,” He commanded.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene felt the book shoved into his hands. He wanted to throw it into the fire but simply rolled his eyes in response as he looked down to read whatever Leckie had demanded him to do. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“His red hair burns</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Like the rays of the sun</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I see him and I am lit</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>For he is beautiful</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Beyond compare, the boy</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>With hazel eyes</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>And fire for hair”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It took Eugene a second to realize that the poems had been written </span>
  <em>
    <span>about him</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He flipped through a few more pages only to find thousands of more poems written in his honor. Leckie was </span>
  <em>
    <span>obsessed</span>
  </em>
  <span> with him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I get why Snafu kept you all to himself. I mean, look at you. Your drop-dead gorgeous.” Leckie’s eyes scaled up and down Eugene’s body. Eugene was appalled. Leckie had reminded him of Percy. His comments and advances did not stop as he scooted closer to Eugene. “But why be with someone like him? I could give you a new life, a home, a purpose. All here. You would be treated with respect and cared for like a prince.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As Leckie moved closer, Eugene moved farther from Leckie. His intentions seemed twisted; just like</span>
  <em>
    <span> Percy’s</span>
  </em>
  <span>. “What the hell is wrong with you? You trespassed onto Burgie’s land just to kidnap me...and for what?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s a free game when it comes to hunting, Eugene. As I said, I’m not a man who likes to give up so easily.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>This had been the final straw. Whatever Leckie wanted Eugene for, it wasn’t good. Eugene felt his joints lock-in as his pulse became heavy in his chest. His reaction wasn’t to hide but to run. Jumping off of the couch, Eugene tried to make a dash for the door but Leckie had predicted his move. He grabbed Eugene’s nape and pushed him onto the cold, wooden floor. His head banged against the floor, the bruised one. Everything had gone blurry as the only thing Eugene could hear was his beating pulse. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Was he actually going to die? </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Think your gettin’ away that easily?” Leckie smirked and bent over whisper right into Eugene’s ear. He could hear the heavy breathing and held back whines from the deer boy. But as he bent down, he could smell a sweet scent in his hair. The deer boy had porcelain skin, covered in white freckles that traced down his back. The deer boy was definitely not your average young man with pale skin, red hair, and grand antlers. Combined with his strawberry smell, he was hard to resist. It didn’t help that Leckie was holding him down, alone with him in a locked room. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fuck you, Leckie,” Eugene growled, trying to push Leckie off but failing to do so. Leckie tightened his grip and dug his fingers into the back of his kneecap, earning a pained scream from Eugene. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leckie grabbed his hair and dragged Eugene to the fireplace, throwing him in front of him. Eugene felt tears stream down his cheeks as he tried to get up, but failed to. His legs refused to work from the sores and blisters on them. He could hear Leckie undoing his belt as he heard the metal hit the ground. It was like history had been repeating himself. He had a small hope that Snafu could have been his first time, but nothing ever seemed to go right in his world. Snafu, that name lingered in his head. In order to get through his pain, Eugene needed to distract himself. Whenever Percy would do what he pleased, Eugene would just let him do so. Not because he couldn’t fight back, but the fact that he was distracted by his own thoughts. In his own little fantasy where the sun shined and birds sang, happy with someone who truly cared with him, safe in their arms. The back of his robe was violently torn, revealing his nude face. Leckie’s fingers traced down it, admiring the freckles and tail. His hand wrapped around it, pulling it. It earned him a small yelp from Eugene’s mouth. Eugene could feel Leckie’s hot penis rub up against his thigh. It was going to happen, and there was nothing Eugene could do about it. Eugene’s shaky hands grasped onto the rug as he let out a cracked sigh, closing his eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>All he wanted was Snafu to wrap him in his arms, making him feel safe from the world. Hear his little french endearments as he stroked his hair. </span>
  <em>
    <span>To be in his safe haven. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-----</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The fire still burned as Eugene laid on the ground, in absolute pain. His whole behind and legs were numb. He no longer had any tears left to cry. After Leckie had finished with him, he had taken a small break and then continued to abuse his body. He was rough, cruel, and unforgiving as he ravaged his body. Whatever Leckie could have done, he made sure to do. Whatever he had done traumatized Eugene. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>From what it had seemed, Leckie had finished. Eugene could already feel the bruises forming all over his body. Leckie had gotten up and grabbed his pants, pulling them back up. Eugene could see him in the corner of his eyes. Leckie’s whole appearance antagonized him. Eugene’s hazel eyes burned into Leckie’s as he clenched a fist. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Why wasn’t he afraid of him? Instead of feeling afraid, Eugene felt tense. He felt full of enmity. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leckie had noticed his stares. He turned around as he was doing his belt, that annoying smirk on his face as he looked down at Eugene. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You seem worn, red.” Leckie chimed in. He walked over and used the toe of his boot to gently turn Eugene over. “How’d you feel now? I’m sure Snafu didn’t give you anything like that, especially with his gimp dick.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene breathed into the floor, refusing to make eye contact with him. This was the first time in his life that he had ever thought of violence. “Snafu was respectful, kind to me. He wanted to wait until I wanted it. Unlike you did.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No shit you were a virgin,” Leckie responded as he put a cigarette in his mouth, blowing the smoke from his nostrils. “That’ll make Snafu’s blood boil.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You know, I’ve been raped before. That was the worst penis I’ve ever had in my body. Keep on trying to break me, Leckie. I won’t give you what you want. After all, I’m hard to catch, aren’t I?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leckie was taken aback by Eugene’s statement. A moment he was crying, but now was full of fire. It not only pissed off Leckie but made his cock hard. “Just how I like ‘em.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gunshots and yelling eroded through the hallway. Eugene and Leckie turned to the door to hear the clacking of boots and gunshots being fired. Kathy ushered into the room, weapon in hand. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leckie was still in the process of throwing his turtleneck on. “What the hell is going on?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Snafu. That’s what’s goin’ on.” Kathy panted. He didn’t even have to explain. Wherever Snafu was, there was always trouble brewing. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You stay here and make sure red does nothin’.” Leckie grabbed his rifle from the couch. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene looked at the time, listening carefully to their conversation. Hearing the gunshots and mumbled conversation, a smile appeared on his face. His lover was here for him. No matter what, he was always there to save the day. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Face it, Leckie,” Eugene mocked as Leckie and Kathy looked down at him. He started to chuckle, shaking his head. He was going to have a bad time with Snafu. “Snafu’s just a better version of you. You want to be him, but you’ll never be anything like.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Before leaving the room, Leckie stopped Kathy as his head nodded to the kitchen. “Sedate him. Actually follow orders and don’t leave this godamn room. You hear me?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kathy nodded in response, “Yes, Leckie.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The door slammed behind him Kathy as he let out a grown. As all the action occurred, he got stuck with the babysitting job. Eugene’s ranting had stopped. Kathy turned to go to the kitchen and fetch whatever the hell Leckie wanted him to use. If It meant the deer boy would shut up, then that would make his life easier. Once Kathy grabbed the syrgenie, he walked towards the fireplace but he couldn’t find Eugene. There wasn’t a single noise besides the burning fire and his breathing. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Where are you, you little shit…” Kathy turned slowly to the right but saw nothing. To the left, no sign of the deer boy. He shook his head, holding the pointed sygnrie in hand. As he turned back right, the deer boy, screaming, was approaching him with one of the taxidermy heads. Not just any normal one, but the one mounted above Leckie’s fireplace. The antler entered his throat and stomach as he was pushed back towards all. Before the light disappeared from his eyes, Kathy saw the flames burning in the deer boy’s hazel eyes. The pure fury that was ridden on his face. With a final staggered breathe, Kathy succumbed to his bloody fate. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene felt the blood splatter on his face. While Kathy had been distracted, Eugene ripped Percy’s head off of the wall. If Sid could impale with his antlers, then so could Percy’s. Seeing Kathy’s final moments didn’t make him sad. Deep down, he knew he should have felt sorry. But Eugene couldn’t find the need to be. Humans had no pity. He threw the deer head onto the ground, his ex-husband. The syringe and gun had flown out of Kathy’s hand. Eugene bent over to pick up the gun, seeing how tiny it was. Guns seemed to come in every shape and size. Percy’s head thumped against the wooden floor as he turned back to look at him with those clear eyes. Percy was dead and no longer would hurt him. But his ghost would forever haunt him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Burgie slammed the door to the room open to the lounge, revealing the horror scene. Eugene, naked and bloodied, as he looked down at Kathy’s body. Burgie could piece the puzzle together. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Eugene,” He called out. Eugene didn’t look at him. Putting the rifle behind his back, he slowly walked over and placed a hand on his shoulder. Eugene turned his head around, blood smeared on his hands and face. His face morphed into horror and guilt. He was in a total satte of shock. So much had happened to him in the past couple of hours and he was starting to question his surroundings and self. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Burgie, I-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t. Listen, we gotta get outta here.” Burgie instructed, leading him to the back of the fireplace. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The redhead stopped moving when Burgie put his hand onto the backdoor, which was the back escape route. “Burgie, where’s Snafu?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He’ll meet us. Come on,”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m not going,” Eugene said with no emotion in his voice. The gun was still in his hand as his finger grazed against the trigger. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The short man sighed, “Please. Snafu told me to do so. Come on, Sid’s waitin for u-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was a distant yelling that was becoming not so distant. Suddenly, the doors to the lounge bursted open. Burgie grabbed Eugene as they hid behind the couch. Eugene could recognize that thick Cajun accent from anywhere. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Where the fuck is he?” Snafu growled as he and Leckie stood in front of the fireplace. A few of Snafu’s unruly curls had fallen in his face. Like Eugene, he had fury written all over his face. He looked disheveled and pissed off at the world. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Like hell he’ll go with someone like you, Merriell,” Leckie retorted, sounding as condescending as ever. “Look at you. Your little fuck toy even told me himself that he’s scared of you. If I was him, I would be too.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu grasped onto the rifle, considering shooting Leckie. The more he talked, the more Snafu began to consider. “Oh shut your damn trap. All ya’ do is lie through ‘yer teeth. I’m gonna find Eugene, and we’ll get the hell outta ‘ere. ‘Yah won’t ever see us again.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sheriffs have surrounded his place. You’re gonna be thrown in an asylum, right where to belong.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu snorted at the response, “You’re so fuckin’ delusional. I don’t need a mental asylum, I am an asylum. I’m taking what’s mine back.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You seem sure of that.” Leckie reached for his pistol in his back pocket. He knew he would need it. Snafu was in perfect place. Once he was out of the picture, then Eugene would be all his. “You know, he’s really feisty. He also smells sweet like vanilla as well, don’t you think so?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu gritted his teeth as he screamed, running over to tackle Leckie. He was going to strangle him and find Eugene himself. As they were pushed to the ground, Leckie pushed him to the side. Snafu rolled over to strangle him, but blood was forming out of Leckie’s mouth. Snafu looked down and saw a splatter of blood on his shirt. A warm, red liquid was forming out of Leckie’s hip and mouth. What the hell had just happened. Snafu hadn’t stabbed or shot him what so ever. He looked back up the ceiling. If Leckie was down, then all he needed was to find Eugene. He had no idea where he and Eugene were going to go, but it was going to out of Wyoming. Maybe in Canada, maybe in Louisiana. Just away from all of this discord. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Throwing the gun to the side, Eugene sprinted over to Leckie’s body. Sitting on top of it, he began to punch his cheeks. Blood streamed from Leckie’s nose and mouth as his face became more unrecognizable. It made Eugene feel alive and satisfied to see Leckie suffer the same pain his people had felt for years. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he cried curses into his face. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I WAS NO ONES TO KEEP! YOUR STUPID, STUPID BASTARD!” He cried as his punches became more sloppy. “YOU HUMANS ARE ALL THE SAME!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Burgie ran over, noticing Snafu. Snafu looked over and was in horror. This was a side of Eugene he had never seen before. Blood and tears streamed down his face as he brutally assaulted Leckie. Leckie’s face was full of blood and bruises. Just like Leckie, Eugene had looked just as beat up. The two men grabbed Snafu’s hands as they dragged him back. Eugene screamed and tried to fight, but gave in. He was exhausted. His screams formed into tears as he gave in to his exhaustion. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Once Eugene had calmed down, Snafu slides in front of him as his hands cupped his face. “Eugene, cher…” He was at a loss of words. A smile appeared on his face as he saw his only happiness in front of him...je suis vraiment désolé….”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene looked up at him as tears fell from his droopy eyes. Snafu moved his auburn hair out of his face to reveal his bruised eye; purple and blue swelling it shut. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Y-you came…” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Of course I did. I’ll always come for you. I love you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu leaned his head in with Eugene’s, holding him close. Eugene mumbled into his shoulder, low and quiet, “I love you. I’m so sorry.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Burgie could see flashlights and voices coming down from the hallway. This was their cue to run. “Guys,” He interrupted, “I hate to break up the moment, but we have to go. It’s now or never.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu helped Eugene up as Burgie kicked the backdoor open. They ran down the dark stairs and sprinted for the light where Sid waited. In a split of time, they made it out of </span>
  <em>
    <span>The Sleeping Indian. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Eugene crawled into the back to meet Sid, who cried upon seeing him. He was so worried he had lost his best friend. Burgie turned the keys and placed his foot on the pedal, the four men were on the road back to the ranch and away from the hellish ranch.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Burgie caught Sid on what happened in the lodge. Upon entering, Snafu and Burgie were ambushed by Leckie’s men. They knew that Snafu was coming to retrieve Eugene. There had been a whole shoot off. Burgie had distracted them while Snafu made sure to find Leckie. He had been successful, which had lead to a full-on altercation. The two men had fought like wrestlers with Snafu suffering from a few cuts and bruises on his face. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene felt nothing. He didn’t know whether to feel happy, sad, angry, remorseful, guilt. It was better to feel nothing than anything. He felt like Leckie had embedded him. The redhead still remembers the way Leckie bit his neck as his fingers squeezed onto his skinny hip bones; the violent thrusts and tongue that traveled down his navel. He was the spawn of satan. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The thoughts disappeared as something warm and reassuring squeezed his hand. Looking over, it was Snafu. Just like Eugene, he looked bloodied and bruised. A few loose curls hung over his forehead, a subtle smile on his face. Snafu held one of his bloodied hands, squeezing it. Eugene smiled back in response, placing a hand on top of his. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Snafu...thank you so much. For saving me.” Eugene thanked as he looked over at his lover, seeing his eyes glitter. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You saved me, cher. I guess I just returned ‘da favor,” He chuckled, his thigh touching Eugene’s nude thigh. He was freezing and nude. Upon seeing his, Snafu took off his jacket and wrapped it around Eugene, flattening it down and making sure he was as comfortable as possible. “I’m sorry I didn’t come in time...what he did to ‘yah…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene sniffled, looking down. How was he going to tell him what Leckie had done? There was so much to tell. What would Snafu think of him? He was already so impure and dirty, just like a whore. Snafu saw Eugene become visibly upset. He didn’t even need to speak of the horrors as Snafu could just tell in his eyes and facial expressions. Snafu soften his expression and pulled Eugene in, wrapping his arms around him. Letting it all loose, Eugene began to sob into his shoulder. Snafu kissed his sweet-smelling hair as he drew mindless figures into his back, comforting his boyfriend. When they had gotten to the ranch, he was going to make sure Eugene was spoiled with love.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m s-so sorry. I-it was all because o-of me. I ran away and they f-found me...took me and hurt me. They wanted t-to b-break me...I k-killed a m-man. He w-was gonna hurt m-me. Leckie...he...h-e…” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ssshhh,” He hushed. Not to shut him up, but to comfort him. The past didn’t matter to him now. All that mattered was that Eugene was here, in his arms, safe and sound. “ ‘s ok. ‘Yah here...I love you, ‘dat’s all ‘dar matters right now. When we get home, you’ll getta’ bath ‘n all stitched up. I don’t care what happened. All I know is that I’ll be here, right here, every single second of ‘da way, Cher.” He placed thousands of small kisses on his foreheads. “ I love you so much…” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene looked up at his face. Snafu wiped away the oncoming warm tears falling from his eyes. “I love you, Merriell.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I love you too, Eugene.” Snafu hated being called by his real name but didn’t mind if it was from Eugene. He cupped Eugene’s face and brought him into a sweet, long embrace. Nothing mattered in the world. Snafu’s name was going to be infamous in Jackson, and possibly the entire state of Wyoming. He was a wanted man.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>But none of that mattered. All that mattered was that Eugene was once again in his arms, safe and sound. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter Twelve</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Snafu takes Eugene's virginity as they share their final night together.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Smut</p><p>One month later...and here we are. This was one of the hardest chapters to write with exams and the fact that I can simply not write smut. This was my first time writing it in years, so I apologize in advance for the cringe! I also am so sorry for the month late update. I've been slowly working on this chapter, this took me four weeks to write. But I can PROMISE is that the final chapter will be out before Thanksgiving. I always appreciate reading your comments and seeing the kudos, it makes my day. Once again, thank you for all of your kindness and support. You guys are the best. Enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>There was not a single cloud in the sky. The sky was a perfect baby blue with the bright sun. Eugene could feel the sun on his chest as he laid in the crystal clear lake. His eyes were shut as he let the water submerge his body. Spring had finally sprung. Wyoming weather could either be full of snow or sunshine. Each day, the redhead would wake up to the snow melting as the flowers would bloom. Snafu would hold his waist and convince him to stay in bed, but Eugene loved seeing the sunrise. He would slowly walk out into the distance to see the </span>
  <span>perpetual murky turn into a glorious orange</span>
  <span>. </span>
  <span>The grass would grow and tickle his ankles-the scent of verbena in the air. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Like the Verbenas and bergamots, they would hibernate in the winter and thrive in the Summer. The growing nature was an everyday reminder of home. Not Snafu, but his family and friends. When they had fully bloomed, Eugene knew. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The time had come. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu didn’t like it one bit. At first, he had been bitter about it. He wasn’t the best at containing or showing his emotions. Whenever Eugene would bring up an aspect of his life, Snafu would simply look away or ignore it. Eugene wasn’t dumb and had caught onto it. Every day, he would reference the flowers to the Cajun; telling him about how fast they blossomed in such a short amount of time. Snafu would reference Eugene’s beauty to the flowers. But even he was smart enough to know that when the flowers had blossomed, it was a sign for Eugene to leave. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It had to be done. It was for the greater good. As much as they loved each other, their relationship was forbidden. It was too risque to continue; even in secret. Eugene and Snafu both struggled to come with the terms. Eugene knew the spell he had placed on Snafu was unbreakable. The way the Cajun’s big blue eyes would soften at his mere appearance made his whole body melt like butter. His coarse hair and the way his calloused hands would travel all over his body. Eugene knew that he would never meet another Snafu again. Snafu was one of a kind. Eugene would go back home into his boring and isolated life, probably marry a doe, and read every book possible. It wasn’t ideal. Eugene longed to be with Snafu, but it was forbidden. It was too dangerous to risk. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A small smile formed on Eugene’s face as he floated in the water. His head bumped into something hard. Thinking he hit a rock, Eugene turned over and was greeted with Snafu. Snafu was running a hand through his curls to push them back; water dripping down his face as his plump lips agape. He must have floated to the shallow side as the water covered Snafu’s privates, exposing his chest. Eugene had seen Snafu naked, but never showed too much attention. Eugene was awkward and didn’t want to pry on his lover. He kept it to himself, but he enjoyed seeing Snafu shirtless. He reminded him of a demigod with his bright eyes and slim, but fit figure. Snafu was absolutely gorgeous. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Whatcha’ starin’ at, Cher?” Snafu said as his infamous smirk grew on his face. He loved seeing Eugene turn all red and look away. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothin. Sorry.” Eugene spat as he turned away. There was that sensation again. Not only did his cheeks grow red, but so did the rest of his body. His member began to stiffen as the thousands of possibilities flooded his mind; dirty thoughts. The ones his mother would scold him for. Snafu’s hand traveling up his thigh as the other rested in his hair, destroying his neck with marks. Snafu’s body would be close and warm to his. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu sunk into the water swam along with Eugene like a snake. Eugene was flustered as he twisted his legs to hide his hardened cock. He got close and wrapped a hand around Eugene’s neck. Like Eugene’s thoughts, Snafu was close to him as his legs intertwined with the auburn’s. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Stop ‘apologzin. You say sorry too damn much.” He mumbled. Snafu leaned in to plant a soft kiss on his cheeks as Eugene smiled. He must have felt the hardened cock since Snafu looked down and grew closer. Eugene looked down and knew exactly what he was staring at. His thoughts and heart began to race. Snafu probably thought he was perverted. Burgie and Sid could have been anywhere in the lake. If Snafu hadn’t been so damn gorgeous then Eugene could have controlled himself. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu chuckled as pink burned at his cheeks. The hand on the back of his neck made Eugene looked into his eyes as it slowly traveled down to Eugene’s lower back. His other hand in the front finessed his collarbones, nipples, and rib cage. The Cajun’s hand was dangerously low to his hipbone. Eugene knew he should have stopped it, but he couldn’t. It was making him uncomfortable. Unlike Percy and Leckie, Snafu knew Eugene and what he was comfortable with. Whatever Snafu was doing, Eugene liked it. A lot. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Jesus fuckin’ christ!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu and Eugene looked down to see Sid crawl out of the water, a small leech sucking on his ankle. Burgie had seen the commotion and walked over to see Sid, freaking out over a small leech sucking on his foot. Sid was a drama queen and hated any incest or small creature. Eugene had known that for years. Even though the lake was clear, Sid didn’t trust it. He didn’t understand how Eugene could swim out so far and not be afraid. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s a leech. It don’t bite.” Burgie said as he saw Sid try to pull it off. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sid looked up and furrowed his blonde eyebrows, “What the hell are you talkin’ about? These things are horrible! There little devils!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Seeing Sid in distress, Eugene gently swam back and began to head towards the shore. Snafu swam in the spot, unable to respond. They had been sharing such an intimate moment and it had been interrupted by Sid’s temper tantrum. Snafu saw his lover swimming away and swam behind him. His lips made a soft noise as Eugene looked back with his big, doe eyes. Eugene had reached the shallow as his bare butt was exposed, freckled and red. The two stared at each other like a deer and car before Eugene ran to aid Sid. Every movement Eugene made on land, whether it be to wipe the sand from his butt or push his growing Auburn hair made Snafu’s cock harden as well. Snafu bit his lip and had to excuse himself. Sleeping next to Eugene every night filled Snafu’s mind with dirty thoughts. He knew of Eugene’s trauma and didn’t want to add to it. He wanted to make the world not only know Eugene was his but make sure he was treated right. Snafu saw Eugene as a docile lamb who was so pure and innocent. All of the pain he had endured made Snafu’s fists clench. Eugene deserved to be treated with respect. Sex was something that was supposed to be consensual and intimate, not the opposite. The thought of never seeing Eugene again broke Snafu’s bitter heart. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The hunter wanted to make sure his sweet deer boy was loved. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-----</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The minute Snafu shut the door, he was all over Eugene. Eugene sat on the small loveseat as Snafu sat on the armrest; his hands curling over his neck as he passionately kissed him. Eugene’s hand rested on his ebony curls and knee, drawing small circles into them. The white button-down Eugene wore stuck to his body; his cersei nipples piercing through the ivory material. The blue swim trunks he wore were tight on his body, showing off his round arse. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu only wore his green baggy pants that hung low to his hips. He didn’t even bother to put on a shirt or belt. The loveseat was awkward. He hated only seeing Eugene’s face; he wanted to see all of him. Snafu’s hands slid under Eugene as he picked him up. Eugene was startled but wrapped his arms as support. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Your so fuckin’ beautiful, cher,” Snafu commented as he planted a kiss into Eugene’s hair. His breath hitched, and so did his member. It was so hard to control himself in front of Eugene, “So pure, so kind...you're too good for this world. God must’ve forgotten one of his angels.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Stop it,” Eugene blushed as Snafu carried him up the stairs. Once they entered the bedroom, Snafu placed his lover gently on the bed as his hands reached to pull down his pants. Eugene saw Snafu’s hands unbutton the top and prepare to pull them down. What had become fun at first made him freeze like ice. It was all coming back to haunt him. Eugene grasped at the sheets as he crawled back to the headboard; a cold sweat engulfing his body.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu wasn’t blind to this. His hands hung on the hem of his pants. Seeing Eugene's cower made him stop. He slowly walked over and sat at the edge of the bed, seeing Eugene look up at him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m didn’t know. I...just forget. I’m sorry,” He apologized as Snafu pulled his pants up. Was this the last impression Eugene would have of Snafu? He couldn’t control himself around such a beautiful person. As much as Snafu wanted Eugene, he couldn’t have him. It pained him, but he refused to force himself upon such a delicate flower. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eugene grabbed his hand, stopping him from getting off the bed. The Cajun tilted his head, unsure of what the auburn-haired boy was doing. Eugene grabbed Snafu, smashing his lips into his. Snafu fell for his spell and grabbed his arms around him, laying him gently on the bed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I want you, damnit. ” Eugene said, trying to conceal his moan. “Just take me away from all of it. I need you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu’s fingers fumbled with the buttons. Eugene slid out of the shirt as his fingers slid down his tight shorts. Snafu eventually threw his pants off as he jumped back onto the bed and continued to prep Eugene. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry your pretty lil’ head, I’ll take care of you.” He cooed as he placed a kiss on his forehead. Snafu’s kisses trailed down, leaving dark marks all over his chest and lower body. Snafu laid ontop of Eugene, holding one of his free hands. He used his other hand to stroke Eugene’s penis. Eugene bit his lip but a few moans escaped-just what Snafu wanted to hear. It was difficult to control himself, but he knew he had to be gentle with Eugene. He was determined to make Eugene have a night that he would never forget. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Turn over” Eugene turned around and faced a pillow. He really didn’t know how sex worked. He understood the basics, but only knew pain from pleasure. However, Snafu was different. He would never hurt him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu’s hand rested firmly on Eugene’s arse, which was covered in freckles. “It’s gonna feel a ‘lil funny, but it gets better.” He came up and placed a gentle kiss on his shoulder before positioning himself and his penis. “Tell me to stop if it hurts, okay?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene nodded as his fingers grasped onto the cotton sheets. Butterflies flew in his stomach. He was nervous, excited, all of the above. It hit him like a bullet. It was awkward and it felt wrong at first. The Cajun’s penis rested as it moved around. It was tingling, but it felt odd. Every part of Eugene’s body felt tense. His fingers dug into the sheets as he let out a hitched moan. Eugene felt like his body was on fire. Instead of a moan, he let out a shaky breath. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Relax, ‘sha.” Snafu demanded as he tenderly finessed Eugene’s arse. He could tell Eugene was nervous. Eugene’s body was tense as his body turned redder than his hair. Eugene eventually relaxed like eggs melting in the sun. “We can try somethin’ else”.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“N-no,” Eugene’s protested as he turned to look at his lover with a thoughtful gaze. “I want this. I want you to show me. P-please.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Just loosen’ up a little.” Snafu said as patted Eugene’s shoulders for him to turn around. His little tail fluttered as he turned around to the headboard. Eugene’s auburn hair was a beautiful mess as his cheeks were red, exposing his tiny freckles. “I got a plan. A good one.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“A plan?” Eugene chuckled into Snafu’s shoulder. Snafu lifted him up and placed him in lap as he looked directly at him. It felt better than being in a doggy pose. Snafu’s hand’s rested on his lower back as he pulled him close, a small noise escaping his lips. “Shocking.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m full of surprises, mon amour.” Snafu purred as one hand traveled to the headboard. His Cajun accent made Eugene let loose. Eugene slung a hand over his shoulder, not knowing what to do or say. Whatever Snafu had planned, it was going to make Eugene weak in the knees. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu’s penis entered Eugene’s body. Eugene let out a hitched breath as his hands ran down Snafu’s back. He shifted as he held the auburn-haired boy close to his body, adjusting up before moving slowly down. Instead of feeling pain, Eugene felt a tingling sensation. He didn’t know what it was, but it felt good. It was an amazing sensation; like the butterflies trapped in his stomach had been let loose. Snafu adjusted his penis up and down with the sensation becoming even better. He mumbled a few words in French with the only words Eugene being able to comprehend were “There we go”.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene felt like he was on cloud nine as Snafu tenderly pleasured him. He kept leaning his head onto Eugene’s freckled shoulders, decorating his body with small kisses. Eugene felt Snafu squeeze his arse, making him jump a little, but not in fear. Snafu was enjoying himself as much as Eugene. He understood how fragile Eugene was and wanted to be careful with him, but leave him with an experience that he would never forget. Being spoiled with love was all his sweet Eugene ever deserved. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How’s this?” Snafu purred, small huffs escaping his breath. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene looked right into his eyes as his fingers played with his little nape curls. His face was red and sweaty, but absolutely gorgeous. “G-great. Could we j-just...change? My back hurts. But, It feels...wow.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu nodded as he turned Eugene over on his back, placing a sloppy kiss on his mouth. Eugene’s hands cupped his face as Snafu began to travel down his body. He left a trail of messy kisses from his nipple to his thigh. The whole time down, he said thousands of little compliments such as “Your such a good boy”, “So fucking beautiful, how did I get so lucky”, and little nicknames in french. Snafu raved about how much the deer boy meant to him. He made sure that he was loved. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu was met with Eugene’s penis. He smirked as his fingers stroked the top. This only caused Eugene to squirm. Like Eugene, his penis was lanky and long. His fingers caressed it as Eugene brushed back some of the curls in his face. He could see the guilt on Eugene’s face. As much as Eugene wanted to pleasure Snafu, he refused.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Cajun ran his tongue up the penis before he began to slowly suck on it. It was like Eugene’s penis had been getting a message with his mouth. He bit his lips as he stroked Snafu’s back, letting him do the work he needed. His ass cheeks were clenched together as he felt like he was going to combust. Snafu had grabbed one of his ballsacks and sucked on it as well. Eugene felt like a firework that was going to explode as he gripped the sheets. An oozing sensation emerged from his penis. Snafu felt a hot and creamy liquid form in his mouth. He had made Eugene cum. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu chuckled as he used his hand to wipe the cum off his mouth, “All I was thinking ‘bout was you at ‘da lake. In your pretty lil’ swimshorts, floatin’ ‘round that lake without a care in the world.” He crawled up to Eugene and slung an arm on his shoulder, bringing him close. Eugene blushed as he left out a sigh of relief. His legs felt numb as he just laid there and let Snafu dote over him. He looked up and leaned his head on his shoulder. “You smelt like flowers, I like the way you smell.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You didn’t smell like cigarettes for once,” Eugene mumbled into Snafu’s shoulder. Snafu let out a small oohing noise. Eugene was a timid person but could be a tint of sassy at times. Whatever Eugene did would make Snafu’s cock twitch. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry we can’t all be as gorgeous as you, mon armour.” Snafu replied as he placed a kiss on his hair. He had a tendency to do that. Eugene had soft hair that always smelled like lavender while his skin was smooth like silk. He saw the heat grow on Eugene’s cheeks as he buried his face into his chest. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Jesus, turnin’ as red as your hair.” Snafu pushed his bangs to see his big hazel eyes. He froze, just admiring Eugene with his slender face. Six months ago, Snafu would have never guessed that Eugene would stumble into his life or sleep in the same bed as him. But his dreams had formed into a reality. The boy from his dreams was Eugene, and he was even better. Being able to wake up next to him and breathe the same air was Eugene baffled Snafu. Did God finally answer the prayers he had said for years? </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene didn’t respond as looked down as Snafu’s cock. His fingers ran down the Cajun’s thighs as it appeared around his penis, stroking it. Snafu laid his head back as his hand wrapped around Eugene’s wrist. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“God damn it, no.” Snafu looked into the deer boy’s eyes, his hand frozen on his cock. “Just rest. It’s ok.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Please, let me.” Eugene insisted. His fingers moved on his cock. Snafu grunted. He loved that Eugene was touching him, but Eugene didn’t need to return anything to him. Eugene had been hurt by something that was suppose to be pleasurable. Eugene didn’t get into the details, but whatever the had gone through sounded horrible. He wanted Eugene to touch him, but at the same time, he wanted to hold Eugene close and never let him go. Just the sight of seeing Eugene, innocently holding his penis with a surprised expression made his penis harden. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The auburn haired man looked down at the penis and stroked the top with his finger. “You like this, don’t you?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu looked away and sighed, rolling his head back. Eugene wanted to suck his penis. It was hard to deny. As long as Eugene was ok with it, so was he. Any second Snafu was going to cum with that boy around him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Damnit, why are you so good to me?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Because I love you, you idiot,” Eugene cooed. It was so sweet, appealing with a little smile on his face. Eugene looked so happy. He had seen Eugene cry and upset. But seeing him with such joy on his face made Snafu smile. Tears stung his eyes. The reason Snafu was alive was because of Eugene. Eugene had saved Snafu from himself. Snafu brought his hand to Eugene’s face and gently stroked his cheek. His finger hung from Eugene’s lip. He was going to miss seeing his face every day. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I love you too, Eugene.” Snafu subtly smiled. It wasn’t a devilish or sly smirk, but something sweet and soft. Snafu would never do this in front of anyone but Eugene. The world was a cruel place. His life had been full of pain, loss, and loneliness. The one person he had loved so dearly, Jade, had died. Once she died and with the war fresh in his mind, Snafu was done. He came back from the war a changed man. Something had been missing in him for years. All he wanted was to be alone, but at the same time, he yearned for someone to spend his days of isolation with. Eugene was that person. Snafu fantasized about keeping Eugene all to himself, but even he knew on the inside that it was for the better. Maybe his dreams would come back. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But for once, Snafu stopped being pessimistic. With the small amount of time he had with Eugene, he was going to spend all of it with Eugene. Whether that be crying, fucking, or just sleeping together. Just to smell his wonderful scent and hold him close. Eugene’s mere presence reassured Snafu like a sun shining through the clouds. The world was a cruel, yet beautiful place. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-----</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Time flies by, doesn’t it?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene looked over at the Cajun. A cigarette hung long from his lips as smoke came out of his nose; the wind blowing through his coarse locks. Eugene took the pipe from his mouth and looked at the garden. It was a small patch in his backyard. Everything was plain green except for the wild wildflowers. Snafu had never planted them, they just simply grew. There beautiful shades of red, yellow, and purple blew in the wind.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I guess it does.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The day had come. Sid would be there any minute. After a long and harsh winter, Eugene would return home to his mundane life. See his mother goose and father. He longed to go home, but his heart would always belong to Snafu. He would never see him again, and he knew that. The nights of drinking and love were going to fade into time. Eugene would grow old and worry about Snafu, wondering what he was doing with his life. Snafu had acted off since waking up. He seemed colder and more distant than he usually was. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene turned over to Snafu, contemplating what to say. Both of them loved each other more than anything in the world. They wanted to stay with each other, but it could never work.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Snafu?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu turned over and raised an eyebrow at Eugene as he threw the cigarette into the garden. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thank you. For everything.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Cajun didn’t know how to respond. His features softened at Eugene. His eyes scaled his body before he walked close, leaning his head on his shoulder. Eugene leaned on his head, placing a hand on the small of his back. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m gonna miss you, you know.” Snafu mumbled as he stared into the distance. “Seeing your face every day. I just have one question for you...are you a fallen angel? Be honest.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Snafu, for the last time. No, I’m not.” The redhead chuckled. Snafu had asked this question the night before. He was convinced that Eugene wasn’t a real person. He seemed too good for the world. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I use to talk to my sister at night. Before you came. I wanted to be with her and not alone,” Snafu explained, “She said something good was gonna come my way. I had been waitin’ for years, and nothin’ came. The only reason I kept livin’ was ‘cause of my dreams. But it was worth the wait. Even if it was for a short time.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu was making his life even worse by feeling. Eugene soften his eyebrows as he placed a gentle kiss on his forehead. They were going to miss each other more than anything in the world. Both of them knew that they would never find each other again. They were being forced to move on with their lives. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Cajun grabbed Eugene’s hand, leading him back inside. “Here, come.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What are we doin’?” Eugene asked. Merriell let go out his hand and bent down to near the vinyl. He scrambled to find a record and placed in on the vinyl. Placing the needle down, the record began to turn. The familiar, soft piano began to play. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Unforgettable</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>That's what you are</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Unforgettable</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Tho' near or far</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“One last time, please.” Snafu walked over and grabbed Eugene’s hands. He was begging him, his velvet voice low. The last minutes they had together were flying by. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Like a song of love that clings to me</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>How the thought of you does things to me</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Never before</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Has someone been more...</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene smiled and nodded. At this point, he had been holding back tears. Nobody else saw Snafu like this. Snafu was tough before on the outside, but soft on the inside. Eugene was is home and love; </span>
  <em>
    <span>sa volonté de vivre. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Unforgettable</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>In every way</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>And forevermore</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>That's how you'll stay</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Of course, sweetheart.” Eugene choked. Snafu wrapped his arms around his back, leaning into his shoulder. Eugene was naked since clothes weren’t needed in the wild. Eugene responded by doing the same thing. He felt a warm sensation on his face. It wasn’t his cheeks turning, it was tears. Big, watery tears. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene was going to miss Snafu. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>That's why, darling, it's incredible</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>That someone so unforgettable</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Thinks that I am</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Unforgettable, too</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Unforgettable</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>In every way</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>And forever more</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>That's how you'll stay</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>That's why, darling, it's incredible</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>That someone so unforgettable</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Thinks that I am</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Unforgettable, too</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>The record glitched as the song stopped. Snafu wanted to look at Eugene’s face one last time. Eugene refused to let go, his brace tight. Snafu heard him snfilling. He backed up to see Eugene, tears falling from his big doe eyes. Snafu’s cold heart was breaking. It was impossible to let go of someone you loved. Tears began to prick at his own eyes, but both men crying wasn’t going to help. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sshhh, ‘s ok.” Snafu shushed, using his thumb to wipe tears. Eugene smiled, trying to act happy, but was breaking on the inside (and outside as well). “You’re gonna see your ma’ n’ daddy. Be home. You won’t be livin’ in fear no more.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I want you. That’s all I ever wanted, god damn it.” Eugene choked, biting his lip. “I don’t wanna see you die.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu’s grasp on Eugene’s back tightened. He didn’t want Eugene to worry. He wanted what was best for both of them, and this was what it was. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ll be all good. I got Deacon with me. ‘S all okay. We’ll be okay.” Snafu reassured. He was lying through his teeth. History was going to repeat itself. Snafu would fall into depression once again, all alone in a cruel world. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Look,” Snafu cooed, his fingers holding up his dog tags on Eugene’s chest. “I’ll always be with you. Right here.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene intertwined his fingers in the silver chain, admiring the aged silver. He looked up at his lover and back down, and up again. Eugene walked backward as he ran out the yard, back to the garden. Snafu followed him, confused. Eugene had bent in the garden and picked a wildflower. He turned back to Snafu and walked over, placing it behind his ear. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu took it off of his ear and admired it. It was gorgeous, a mixture of blue and purple. He twisted it in his fingers. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I wish I had something else to give you.” Eugene sniffled, rubbing his eyes with his arm. “I’m sorry.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu shook his head, placing the flower behind his ear. “No, it’s perfect,” Snafu said as he grabbed his hands. Both of their foreheads leaned into each other. It was their final moment of peace. “You just bein’ here, with me, is all I needed.. Thank you, mon beau garçon...thank you…” Snafu’s own voice was beginning to crack. Until Eugene was gone, he needed to hold it together. Just for a little while longer. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was a silent, peaceful moment. In their final moment together, they leaned into each other. No words were spoken until Sid had arrived. Eugene looked at Sid, and smiled. Sid stood there and spoke no words. His big blue eyes had signaled it was time to go home. Snafu and Eugene kissed one last time. It was passionate and soft. Eugene wanted for it to last forever, but their time had come. It was time to say goodbye. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As Eugene walked over to Sid, Snafu slid his hand right into his. It stopped Eugene from walking. He turned to see Snafu, his big eyes watering. Snafu squeezed his hands, whispering, “I love you so much.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eugene subtle smiled, squeezing his hand back. “I love you too. Thank you. Goodbye Snafu.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And with that, Eugene had let go and walked over to the Sid. Eugene was tempted to look back, but Sid encouraged him not to. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It makes it easier,” Sid broke the silence as he patted Eugene’s back. Eugene sniffled and nodded. His hand met with the dog tags, rubbing it between his fingers. Even though Snafu wasn’t going to be physically there, he would always be in spirit. Right on his chest. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-----</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu was alone, once again. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He was slumped on his bed; his face stained with dried and whiskey lingering on his lips. Deacon had curled up on his side of the bed while Snafu buried his face on Eugene’s pillow. It had been hours since had left. The sun had set, it was all supposed to be over, but it wasn’t. Eugene’s scent still lingered. It was the last piece he had of him. Snafu was expecting to wake up from his dream, refusing to believe that it had all occurred. He must have slipped into a coma. But then he realized it was reality. Eugene had come and go, and Snafu let him slip through his fingers. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu turned over and rubbed his face. He was trying to ignore his pain, but it wouldn’t go away. His mind was stubborn. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He could have had his way. Kept Eugene in his household to himself. Spend the rest of his days with the auburn-haired boy. Eugene wouldn’t want it, but Snafu did. Eugene was his. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But Eugene wasn’t his prisoner. He was a free spirit. He felt so close yet so far from him. Snafu was a lion, and Eugene was a lamb. Tears began to once again stream down Snafu’s eyes. He placed a hand over his mouth, trying to contain his sobs. Even though he was alone, he hated the emotion. The hot and wet feeling. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu had let Eugene go because he loved him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And it was the biggest mistake Snafu had ever made. </span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Chapter Thirteen</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Three months later, Eugene reunites with Snafu.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Mentions of minor suicidal thoughts </p><p>Where do I even begin? Like 80k and four months later it's done! I wasn't expecting to release the final chappie rn. That's the only thing I've really wanted to do all break tbh. I got it done with and will now be focusing my attention on Band Of Brothers! But fear not, I'll be releasing some sledgefu content very soon. This fic was super fun to write. I know not a lot of people read it, but whoever is, thank you so much for your support. Seeing a comment or kudos makes my day so much better! The little world I created with Snafu and Eugene isn't over. I'm planning a sequel, but it's in the works. I don't wanna have to think about sequels right now. I just wanna watch Gen Kill and play with my puppy! Once again, thank you for all the love, and I hope you guys enjoy the finale! </p><p>-Carrie ;D</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Deacon, what the hell are ya doin?” Snafu opened the door, seeing his beloved dog sit by the dog. The terrier’s ears perked up as he jumped up to his owner’s leg. Hanging his rifle up, he fell to the ground to have Deacon attack him with kisses. He had just gotten back from a hunt. It was moose season, and he had just killed one of the most significant bounties in the Tetons. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu stood up and gave Deacon a little pet, murmuring little compliments in French in a baby voice. If anybody saw him doing that, he would kill them. But the chances of that occurring were alone since Snafu was always alone. He walked upstairs and threw off his dirt-covered hunting clothes, throwing them down as he jumped into the shower. The dog days of August were unbearable in Wyoming. It was so satisfying to have the cold water drip down Snafu’s tanned body. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After a short time in the shower, Snafu wrapped a towel around his hips and rubbed his damp curls with another as. As he walked back to his bedroom, he saw Deacon still at the door. He was curled in a little ball, his tail hanging loosely. Deacon would wait by the door unless there was food. He had been doing it every day since Eugene had left, waiting for him to come back. It had been three months, but Deacon was stubborn and refused to give up. His nose remained right at the door. A small smile appeared on Snafu’s face, triggering a memory he tried to repress. No matter how hard he pushed it back, he couldn’t forget the auburn-haired boy. Eugene was unforgettable. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Three months had flown by. In those three months, nothing had changed for Snafu. Every day was the same. He would wake up alone, hunt alone, eat alone, and do everything by himself. The only significant change that had occurred was that the sleeping Indian had disbanded. Burgie had gone to the local sheriff’s and reported fire. The only fatalities were Tony. Leckie was injured and still recovering in the hospital. He went into Jackson every other week and made sure to make his trips quick. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Putting on a pair of jeans, he walked over to his nightstand and was greeted with a card, a photo of Burgie and Florence. Florence was Burgie’s high school sweetheart. They had reconnected and had decided they would get married on Burgie’s family ranch in a month. Burgie would drop by once in a while for a hunt with Snafu, raving about how amazing Florence was. How kind she was, their cooking creations, and how many little Burgie’s they were going to have. Their wedding was going to be in a month. It was a small ceremony, and Snafu was Burgie’s best man. Most of the invites were Burgie’s friends from Football and their wives. Snafu was going to be the older man (besides Gloria) at the wedding, and he would have no one on his arm. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The wildflower Eugene had given him rested on Eugene’s side of the bed. The beautiful bluish-purple wildflower still bloomed. Snafu made sure to water it every single day. It was the one memory that Snafu had of Eugene. At least a memory that he could carry around of Eugene. Snafu still kept all of Eugebne’s old clothes, the books he loved that Burgie gave him, the records Eugene would play, and the plaid blanket he would curl up in by the fire. Snafu, in his darkest moments, would walk down the couch and throw the blanket around him, reminding him of the love he had lost. Throwing the white shirt over his head, he placed the photo down and picked up the wildflower. He entwined it in his fingers, spinning it around. That reminded him of the garden. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snafu placed the flower in the back of his ear before walking down the stairs. Deacon lifted his head and walked behind his owner. Snafu slid the screen door open and stopped to admire the garden he had created. It used to be solid grass plants. Before Eugene had left, some flowers had begun to grow. Eugene would sit by them and make flower crowns, which was another item that Snafu had kept. But now, the garden had fully blossomed with a range of flowers from Verdanas, Wildflowers, Lilies, and Sunflowers. September would come soon, and all the flowers would die. But he kept the flowers alive for Eugene. Snafu knew that Eugene would love the garden he had created. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I want you. That’s all I ever wanted, god damn it.” Eugene choked, biting his lip. “I don’t wanna see you die.” </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span> Snafu’s grasp on Eugene’s back tightened. He didn’t want Eugene to worry. He wanted what was best for both of them, and this was what it was.  </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I’ll be all good. I got Deacon with me. ‘S all okay. We’ll be okay.” Snafu reassured me. He was lying through his teeth. History was going to repeat itself. Snafu would fall into depression once again, all alone in a cruel world. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Look,” Snafu cooed, his fingers holding up his dog tags on Eugene’s chest. “I’ll always be with you. Right here.” </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Snafu felt his fists scrunch up. The thoughts were coming back; his depression stung at his heart. It was like a dark cloud that would blind his vision and hold him down. These thoughts remind him of death. All Snafu wanted was death’s sweet release and succumbing to the darkness. What was the point of living if he was going to be alone? Eugene would never see him again, Burgie was busy with Florence, and none of his family was alive. He hadn’t seen Jade in a while. He would have done anything to keep her alive. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>No. He couldn’t. For Burgie. For Deacon. For Jade. For Eugene.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>He shook his head away from the thoughts. Turning away from the flowers, Snafu was greeted with the Grand Tetons mountains. The peaks of the mountains were pone white, shaped with the row of an arrow tip. They were sky-piercing, in front of the nude blue sky with dark, pinkish clouds. It wasn’t even five o’clock, and the sun was beginning to disappear. Snafu could smell the aroma of fine trees as they gently moved in the wind. In the distance, not only could he see trees, but deer. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When there was one deer, there was always a second following behind. It was a doe and her two fawns. Their coats were a light brown with tiny white dots. The doe was regal as it walked through the patches of flowers. The two fawns were jumping around their mother. One of them rubbed against their mother’s coat. The doe and her fawns touched heads before disappearing into the dark trees. Deers were the most beautiful creatures Snafu had evans stumbled upon. They were innocent and kind, with a tint of stubbornness, just like his lover was. Snafu longed for Eugene’s slim fingers on his back, his auburn hair, and sweet strawberry armora. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Cajun continued to walk further to the mountains. Behind those mountains were Eugene and his pack. He wondered what Eugene was up to. Maybe he had gotten married, perhaps he was making flower crowns, or perhaps he was with Sid. Snafu wished he was happy and not worrying about him. Snafu tried to claim he was ok without Eugene. But in reality, every single day and minute, he was slowly a little more on the inside. His legs felt weak as he collapsed into the field, feeling the grass tickle his arm. Snafu turned over and felt his hands brush up against lavender. His fingers played with them as he turned his head up at the sky and closed his eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I think I love you..” Eugene spat on, completely random. Merriell looked at him and widened his eyes, his cheeks becoming Fuschia. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Nobody had ever said that to Merriell. Not once in a hookup or from his family. The only person he can think of that would ever say that was his little sister. Merriell had lived for thirty years and never had someone love him, until now. Now he laid in a bed, holding a deer boy who was a whole decade younger close to him, confessing he was in love. Eugene was clueless about love and relationships, and so was Merriell. All Merriell saw in relationships was sex. But with Eugene, it was different. He remembers that fateful day they met as he carried Eugene back to the cabin. He hadn’t thought once of fucking him. Yes, he had been turned on by him but never felt the desire to touch him since there was no chance that Eugene would ever love someone like him. But after two months, he had been proven wrong. Even if Eugene loved him, he would instead hold him and talk for hours on end then fuck him. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Merriell held his body close, unknown what to say. “You do?”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Eugene nodded his head, no hesitation. “Nobody has ever treated me like this. You make me feel safe and warm. I don’t know how to explain it, I just love being around you.” </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I’ve loved you since day one.” He explained, stroking his auburn hair. God, he was gorgeous. Eugene had wide hazel eyes, following every single word he said. “I had ‘these dreams 'about a boy that looked like you for a long time. He was just as pretty as you were with bright and soft hair and perfect skin. Keep running’ away from me. The dreams kept coming’ back and no matter what, he always ran away from me. Whenever I’d get close, he would get farther and farther. Sounds like bullshit, but it’s true.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“The reason I couldn’t kill you was…”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Because you loved him.” Eugene said, cuddling more into his chest. “You saw him in me. You couldn’t kill someone you loved.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I love you, and only you.” Merriell confirmed. “I thought I was dreamin’, but yer real. Yer right next to me.” </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>The Cajun softly smiled at this memory. They continued to play in his head. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“If you hold still,” Eugene backed away, slightly fed up. He was exhausted and just in much pain as Merriell was. “It won’t hurt as much then.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“If you hadn’t run away in ‘da middle of ‘da night this wouldn’t ‘have ‘happened. Nights in Wyoming' are full of surprises and you could ha-”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Eugene interrupted him, offended and irritated, “If you hadn’t frightened me and forced me to keep me here, then I wouldn’t have run away.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“You should think about what you do next time,” Merriell warned, sounding hesitant in his voice. “You really could have hurt yourself.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Eugene crossed his arms, looking away. “Then maybe you should control yourself .” </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>It was at that moment that Eugene had fallen in love with him. Eugene fell in love with someone who was supposed to kill him. The Cajun didn’t know why he loved him, but he did. And that's all Snafu ever wanted. To be loved. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Merriel looked to the side for a second, before responding, “Do you..like ‘em?”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>A small smile curved on his face as he nodded. He liked them since they were unique and made him stand out. But he didn’t know how to communicate besides using his hands and face. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Can I...hold you?” Merriel spat randomly, still holding Eugene’s hand. He wasn’t very good at flirting. He had sex before, but it was for lust not love. He wanted an emotional bond with someone, not their body. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>The red head and him laid in the grass, their arms wrapping around each other. Merriel wished that it was this easy in real life. The red head was usually mysterious and often ran from him, but not in this dream. Merriel felt the boy’s hands explore his body, tracing more scars and even playing with his curls. It felt so good, wanting to make Merriel doze off. He felt his warmth against his body, gently stroking his red hair which was truly as soft as silk. The redhead nuzzled into Merriel’s shoulder, making a small cooing noise. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Please, don’t go.” Merriel closed his eyes as he said this into his hair, holding him tightly. He could smell the scent of his hair, vanilla and lavender, calming him down. He felt the red head squeeze back as someone responded. “I can’t be alone. I can’t handle it no more. Please..”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Eugene was a product of Snafu’s dreams that had come to reality. Upon seeing Eugene, Snafu was shocked. He thought he had died from an alcohol overdose and he was finally (and surprisingly) in Heaven. Not at his boyish beauty or injury, but the uncanny fact. It’s like god had answered his prayers. The only difference was that Eugene spoke and loved him. His touch was real. Eugene wasn’t a figment of his imgaitiom. He was as real as he was. Even if he wasn’t there for long, Eugene had made a warm place in his cold heart. Snafu could remember the nights they spent together, wrapped in each other's arms as they watched the sunrise. Eugene would ask him thousands of little questions about human life, and he would respond with tiny pecks around his body. How Snafu missed Eugene. His final wish would be to see Eugene again and feel his hand cup his cheek. Just to have him one last time, even if it were to be content, then Snafu would die a happy man.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Eugene was everywhere except right there, with Snafu, and it was killing Snafu. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Deacon’s loud barks barged into Snafu’s melancholic thoughts. He left from his owner’s side and began to run forward. Snafu thought the terrier had seen a bird or squirrel, but his pestering barks would not stop. Snafu squinted his eyes as his fingers grasped onto the grass beneath his palms. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Deacon, shutupa’. You won’t catch it.” He huffed in annoyance. Deacon did not stop barking. He could hear the jingles of his collar come closer, and so did his barks. Snafu, furrowing his eyebrows, had enough. He sat up and ripped his eyes open, “For the love of god won’t you shut…up.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>No. It couldn’t be real. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A familiar face stood in front of Snafu as the sky formed into a pink and orange hue. He was tall and lanky with pale snow skin-a tint of pin with freckles decorating his body. He had a head of auburn hair, big hazel eyes, and a pair of grand antlers. In his hands, he held a flower crown. His auburn hair was decorated with little snowdrops. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eugene was standing right infront of him. Snafu raised his eyebrows and blinked twice to see if it was a vision. Eugene stood there, his cheeks red. The Cajun pushed himself up and wiped his shirt. He looked down at Deacon, who was jumping up Eugene’s leg. He wasn’t barking because he was scared, but he was happy. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Eugene…?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eugene smiled tenderly at him. The sun shined in his face, showing the mixture of green and brown in his eyes. It also illuminated his freckled face. “Hey…” A blush wrapped around his cheeks as he looked down at the excited terrier. How the hell was he going to explain it all? As he gathered his words, Eugene looked back up but was struck down by Snafu. Snafu tightly wrapped his arms around him, causing him to fall to the ground. Deacon began to bark before joining in, covering Eugene’s face in kisses. Snafu did the same as Eugene responded with his arms wrapped around his lover. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was finally home. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re here. Right in my arms. ‘Ma god! Eugene!” Snafu breathed as he placed thousands of kisses on Eugene’s freckles. He adjusted himself up and cupped Eugene’s cheeka. “Oh my god, I...holy hell! Please say your real”. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Snafu was begging him for a response. Eugene chuckled and held his wrists, nodding. “It’s me. I’m here. I missed you so much, sugar. I’m sorry I never said anything…” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>What Snafu had been feeling was unimaginable. It was pure joy. Snafu was overwhelmed but in utter joy. It was the first time he had felt this feeling in months. Having Eugene back in his arms was the best feeling he had ever felt. It was like a cloak of darkness had been ripped off of him. The sun, Eugene, had finally shined in his dark world once again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Snafu had let his barriers down and began to burst into tears of happiness, “I don’t care. Just please, let me hold you. I missed you, mon doux ange. juste pour une minute…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The auburn haired boy felt horrible for making Snafu cry. He didn’t mean to startle the poor man. There was no response needed as Eugene fell besides Snafu. Snafu snaked his arms around his skinny body, one hand on his lower back and the other in his hair. Snafu buried his head into Eugene’s shoulder, holding onto him for dear life. Eugene’s aroma was different this time. He smelt of a thousand flowers. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They laid there in silence. Eugene had missed Snafu to the point where it was breaking him. He would isolate himself in his room, reading books and crying silently. The sappy romance books his mother gave him no longer appealed, they reminded him too much of Snafu. When he arrived home, Sid and him were bombarded with hugs and tears. Seeing his poor mother run up to him and never let go reminded him of the way Snafu was acting. His mother goose promised to never let him out of sight and demanded he was by her side every minute. Upon hearing the tragic news, Percy ‘s death was mourned. Eugene was glad. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eugene closed his eyes and looked over at Deacon as he held Snafu, running a hand through his coarse hair, in which he missed doing. Their feet tangled with each other. He was home once again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Snafu’s fingers got tangled with one of the snowflakes. He took one of the flowers out and admired it in the sunlight. They were pure white and curved at the bottom. He liked seeing Eugene decorated in flowers, in his arms. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re back…” Snafu mumbled into his shoulder, inhaling the intoxicating scent. “You know you can’t be here…””</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eugene scooted back to look into Snafu’s face to see his eyes. The eyes that reminded him of fresh emeralds. “I...wanted to see you. I couldn’t be away from you any longer.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shit, did you run away?” Snafu furrowed his eyebrows at the deer boy. “Listen, I love having you here, but ‘ya parents. Sid. I don’t know if ‘deer' are hunters in your area. How-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eugene looked down at Snafu’s chest and played with the littles curls.  “I...well. It’s a lot.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Cajun adjusted himself as he drew mindless figurines in Eugene’s lower back. He was all ears.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eugene scrunched his fists on his lover's chest before letting out a sigh. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was lonely. Even around my family and Sid, I didn’t feel right, My mom tried to get me to meet a new husband, I couldn’t. Sid wanted to explore, I couldn’t. I felt so alone. Sid wouldn’t understand the way I felt. He had all these does watering at the mouth for him. I had people...but I felt so alone. I refused to talk to people and just hid away. I couldn’t tell them about you, my brother would find you and kill you. Even my mom wouldn’t understand. But one person did...my dad.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I had a bad date with a suitor. My mom wanted me to get married so I’d be happy, and I refused. So she sent my' dad to talk to me. He took me explorin’. I saw your house from where we we’re. My dad noticed the tags and asked me about them, I lied, and he knew. I did the only thing I knew how to do...I told him about you. Every single thing. It was like word vomit. I couldn't control it.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He just sat there with a calm look. I couldn’t tell if he was confused, angry, happy, or anything. Once I finished, he sat there and just...chuckled. He brought me close and asked me If I loved you. I said more than anything in the world. Then he asked If I wanted to go back to you. I couldn’t believe it, I didn’t know what to say. He said that he had never met you, but he trusted you with me. He knew how lonely I was and that you were the person that was going to make me happy. He and I told my mama and Sid. My ma’ didn’t agree, but wanted to see me happy. I’d promise I’d visit. But I couldn’t be away from you. I guess love leads me back to you.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Snafu’s lips were agape as he scaled Eugene. The story he had told was unbelievable. Just like he was, Eugene was depressed and alone. He couldn't stand it. With his father’s permission, he came back. Even after an exp;antion, Snafu was still flabbergasted. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You came to visit?” Snafu asked, “If so, that’s sweet of you. I’d be happy to escort you back.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eugene shook his head, chuckling. “No, no,” He looked into Snafu’s big blue eyes with his arms wrapped around his chest, “I want to stay with you...for as long as you want me to. I don’t wanna go back. You're my love and my home now.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Snafu’s grasp on Eugene softened. Was it happening? Eugene wasn’t visiting. What was temepary was now going to be permanent. Eugene was asking to live with him. Snafu had just witnessed Eugene proclaiming his love for him. He loved him so much that he wanted to be with him for however long it was going to last. From what it seemed, their love was going to last for eternity. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eugene wasn’t getting a response back from Snafu. He began to freak out as he placed his hands on Snafu’s shoulders, “If you want me to leave, I can. I’m so-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, I…” Snafu looked down and shook his head with a toothy smile, “You want to...live with me?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love you, dumbass…” Eugene responded with a chuckle. The two of them sat up. Eugene’s hand grasped onto Snafu’s squeezing it. “More than anything in the world. I love you so much.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Snafu stood up and grabbed Eugene, picking him up and spinning him around. He once again began to kiss him, laughing. Eugene laughed along with him, kissing him back. Snafu had his hands wrapped around Eugene’s waist as he smashed his lips into the auburn-haired boys. The kiss was passionate and refreshing, like drinking water on a hot day. Eugene wrapped his arms around Snafu for balance, deepening into the kiss. During the kiss, Eugene threw the flower crown onto Snafu’s head. The blue and gray flowers matched perfectly with Snafu’s coloring. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t believe it. You’re here, with me, in my arms. Oh my god...I love you so fucking much. C’mere.” Snafu smiled as he brought Eugene close to him once again for another kiss. Eugene followed around and kissed him. Deacon ran into circles around them. He was happy at Eugene’s return as well. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once they separated from the kiss, Snafu admired Eugene’s beauty with an arm around his waist. Eugene nuzzled his head on his shoulders, closing his eyes. The two of them began to slowly walk back to Snafu’s little cabin. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I just can’t believe it. You came back...for me.” Snafu was amazed. One minute he was contemplating ending it all, but here he was, with Eugene wrapped around his arm. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I would do it again, again, and again. All over...just for you.” Eugene gave him a peck on Snafu’s blushing cheek. “Because I love you, Merriell Shelton. I love you more than anything in the world.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Snafu smirked as he looked down at Eugene, “I love you too, Eugene. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Ma raison de vivre."</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Snafu led Eugene into the house and closed the door. Eugene was amazed at how similar the place had looked. All his favorite books and vinyls still remained. The soft blanket was draped on the couch and the fireplace burned. Eugene’s eyes were amazed as he spun around before looking back at Snafu, who admired him from a distance. Eugene was finally home with Snafu. He was finally happy and in love. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was unexpected and bizarre. They were never meant to meet or progress their relationship, But through it all, the lion fell in love with the lamb. </span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>1.)<br/>The broadside shot angle is the preferred shot angle for both firearm and bow hunters for larger game animals, such as elk, deer, and bear. The best target is the shoulder and chest area. A bullet of the correct weight that is fired from a firearm adequate for the game will break the shoulder bone and enter the lungs or heart.<br/>hunter-ed.com</p><p>2.)<br/>Many sportsmen engage in hunting for both recreation and food, others hunt for trophies or to control wildlife populations.<br/>https://www.encyclopedia.com/environment/energy-government-and-defense-magazines/hunting-practices</p></blockquote></div></div>
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